Tavyon's Road to Success
Creation Date: 04/09/2026
Program Details
I initially learned about the IT Support Specialist program at YW Tech Lab through a job fair. Unfortunately, my pre-admissions math and English scores were slightly below the standard, but the Lab took a chance and allowed me to demonstrate my desire to excel in the class.
Initially, I didn’t completely believe in my ability to do well in the Google IT and CompTIA A+ classes because I had historically performed badly in high school. Yet even when class felt the hardest to understand, my peers and teachers were there to help me push forward.
When I first attended the soft skills class, I was not very enthusiastic about it because I wanted to keep learning more about IT. Now, though, I recognize the importance of such soft skills as problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking, all of which are essential to becoming an effective and efficient professional. Soft skills training also made me more comfortable speaking in front of people and allowed me to grow closer to my peers.
Ultimately, I attended all my classes on time, took practice tests, and stayed for extra help when I didn’t understand a concept. After six weeks, I finally earned my Google IT Support Professional certificate, and I knew my hard work was finally paying off. Earning seven entry-level IT certificates was the culmination of about a month and a half of dedication. These certificates showed me that I was fully comprehending the material and gave me more confidence that I could handle the CompTIA A+ material that we would be going over next.
Over the next month and a half, my peers and I vigorously prepared for the CompTIA A+ Core 2 exam. After a lot of preparation, I finally took the test and scored 761 out of 900, well above the required 700. I even scored the second-highest grade in my cohort on the test. One test down, one to go! I am confident that I will soon be getting my certification and can begin the journey to becoming an IT tech.
YWCA Northwestern Illinois also provided other resources to support my success, including free bus passes for getting to and from class, a clothing voucher to purchase work clothes for a paid internship, monthly case management, and lots of encouragement.
I recommend to anyone who is second-guessing their ability to achieve success in an area of choice to remember that dreams are achievable with desire, persistence, and perseverance. I owe all my success to the people who believed in me in and out of the classroom.