Miguel Betancourt had a career in customer service and account management before being laid off in 2017. He wasted no time in getting his job search started! Miguel applied to and was accepted into National Able Network’s Employment Opportunities, Personalized Services, Individualized Training, Career Planning (EPIC) program.

As he prepared himself for his job search, Miguel realized how passionate he was about both customer service AND information technology. As he worked with his career coach, Kelsey Briggs-Dineen, he decided to pursue additional education and certifications with IT Career Lab. Miguel says, “It was a no brainer. I’m getting it [education] in six months rather than three years! The way the instructor taught the class, you could come into the class with a little bit of understanding because he had a way of breaking things down. The class size was small, so it was very personal.”

In addition to his IT Career Lab coursework, Miguel practiced his interview skills (in person, over the phone, and even skype), as well as resume skills with workshops taught by Fred Hairston, National Able Network’s Training Manager. “The resume and interview classes at National Able Network were just amazing. Fred was upbeat, very informative and incredibly helpful.” He goes on to note that being aware that resume formats change and what companies look for in resumes also change with time, so it’s important to keep up with current trends.

Miguel’s studying and training paid off: he received certifications of completion from IT Career Lab and Cisco’s NetAcademy IT Essentials. As he continued his job search, he came across a position that couldn’t have been more perfect. “My resume read like the job description. I thought, ‘I am so precisely ready for this’,” says Miguel. He applied and was hired! The company has been so happy with Miguel, that they asked him for two other recommendations. Miguel recommended two of his former IT Career Lab classmates – both of which were also hired!

Of his experience with National Able Network Miguel says, “It was life changing. I was able to change careers and get a new skill set.”