Change is Possible - Jerry Walsh Successfully Transitions to I.T. Project Management 

Jerry Walsh is a construction industry veteran, but was laid off from his former job and struggled to find meaningful work for almost a year. His luck turned around when he was approved for a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) grant through the North County Career Center that is funded by the San Diego Workforce Partnership.  Jerry began studying Project Management and the Microsoft Office Suite at New Horizons Computer Learning Centers of Southern California in San Diego, CA.

With years of construction experience, it became noticeably necessary that Jerry needed to improve his computer skills and project management knowledge to be employable again.  "It's not like the olden days when construction workers didn't need to be computer literate.  They do [now]; very much so.  Even in the construction industry it is extremely important to be competent and proficient in reading emails, uploading construction photos, working with spreadsheets and timelines, and business writing."

Although Jerry had a vast amount of experience in the construction field, he knew it wasn't going to be easy finding a new job unless he increased his computer literacy.  He also knew that it would be tough for him to learn new computer skills on his own and he was very thankful to receive funding for formal training from New Horizons, which involves traditional training led by high quality instructors.  "New Horizons turned out to be a good fit for me and I am very grateful.  The opportunity to repeat classes at no charge now that I am working, where I can really focus on strengthening the skill sets which apply to my current job, is a tremendous help."

Read more about Jerry Walsh's successful transition to IT here >>