Have you ever had that moment in your life where you felt like it was “now or never” to make a change? Maybe life is just a little too comfortable, but progress and growth isn’t happening? That was the epiphany moment for J Hanson.

J is a Navy veteran from Salem, Oregon. After returning from his service he joined a company that worked with office equipment and provided technology solutions for other companies. He started out by providing high quality technical support to customers and then in his last year at the company he became a Network Technician. This involved remote troubleshooting and diagnosis of network connectivity issues. 

This was his first introduction into the world of networking. He found that this type of work was very interesting to him and he wanted to learn more. He eventually became overly content at work and realized that if he didn’t make a BIG change now, then he may never get more out of life. 

J took the leap and joined the Network Development Engineer IT Pre-Apprenticeship program with TLG IT Careers and hasn’t looked back. He did so well in the program that TLG Learning asked him to join the team! He was recruited to join the internal staff where he will ultimately impact veterans that are in a similar situation that he was in just a year ago!

We asked J some questions about his journey and if he had any advice for individuals that are curious about joining the program too:

What was the biggest challenge for you during the program?

The biggest challenge for me in the NDE program was staying motivated while doing remote learning. I had never done remote work before, and I was afraid I would become easily distracted by life. I soon found out that I had a great deal of dedication to my learning and now I have a hard time not training myself and learning more to advance above and beyond who I used to be.

What did you enjoy the most during the program?

What I enjoyed the most about the NDE program was finding out I had a natural knack for networking when before I questioned if I could make it. I also enjoyed the opportunity to meet other like-minded people in the program who I now have a good connection with (even if it might be remote).

What would you say to someone considering joining the NDE IT Pre-Apprenticeship?

Do NOT hesitate. If you are looking to change or advance your skill to networking, then this is the program to do it.

If you had one piece of advice for someone considering this program, what would it be?

My best piece of advice is to make positive and strong connections with your classmates so you can help each other through study sessions and motivation during the program and beyond.

Is there anything that you would have done differently on your path to tech?

I only wish I had done this several years ago so that I would be at an even further career point than I am now.

Why did you make the decision to join TLG Learning after the program?

I wanted to join TLG as a full-time employee because they worked so hard to get me the training and certifications for the 3 months in the program and I knew that this would only be the beginning under their guidance. They offered me a chance to learn and grow in the field I just became familiar with, and they also are offering me all the chances I want to train in other fields so that one day I can excel and grow my career field to new heights.

How has shifting to a career in tech changed your life? 

I’d say the biggest change right now going into the tech field is the transition to a tech city. Other than leaving for service in the Navy, I never left home, so this environment change is going to be very impactful for my growth in life and growth in my work.

What’s in your future? Future goals, etc? 

Short term goals have me learning the new job as best as I can while also studying in other areas of cloud tech. This cloud tech studying will hopefully lead me to my next and final career path with AWS as a Solutions Architect or Administrator in a few years. I’m not limiting myself to any one area though because there is so much to learn in the world and the path of life has twists and turns.

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Congratulations, J! We’re so excited that you’ve joined the TLG team and we can’t wait to see your continuous growth in the industry.

To learn more about your options with TLG IT Careers, visit our site or schedule a meeting with one of our Educational Consultant to discuss your unique needs and to determine if an IT apprenticeship or IT pre-apprenticeship is right for you!