Jason Pfaehler
Midlands Technical College
Do you have tangible skills?
Jason Pfaehler finished high school early, and in college changed his major several times, from education, criminal justice to business management. Jason says that, “I really thought that having a broad degree like business would be useful, and it was to a certain degree, but I had no concrete skills at the end of the day. I already had an innate sense of business, but needed a more tangible skillset.”
“I also wanted more.”
It was not until early 2015 that Jason had the realization that he was stuck in a job with little upward mobility, and felt at a stalemate regarding his salary. “I wanted more and the Midlands Technical College’s Coursepower Web Design and Maintenance Program looked like exactly what I needed to open doors and be extremely competitive in the industry. Even though I had limited applied computing or information technology experience, it taught me everything I needed to succeed. To make things even better, I qualified for a Quick Jobs Scholarship, which allowed me to go through program at little cost.
In a Bidding War!
After finishing the program in March 2015 Jason Pfaehler was in a bidding war. Jason says, “I had two companies fighting over me! It was an amazing and surreal experience! I always thought you had to know someone to land a great job, but in the technology field, if you have the right skills, they want/need you. The need for people with any kind of tech skill is apparent after going through this situation,” says Jason. In the end, he took a new position that not only allowed growth of responsibility, but also offered him a 30% salary raise.
“Ask yourself the tough questions.”
Jason recommends everyone in and out of school to ask themselves:
1. Do I have the skills needed for today’s workforce?
2. Do I have the skills that will give me a competitive advantage?
If you answer “No” to either of these questions, you should consider getting your technology skills with this program; it gave you the competitive advantage.