JARED STEVENS

Bio

When I was 8 or 9 years old my dad brought home our first family computer, an IBM 186. I had to learn DOS just to play Everquest which at the time was a glorified paper game. Ever since I’ve been in love with technology. It didn’t help that my family were and still are big SciFi nerds. I took that love of tech to the Navy with me becoming an Aircraft Electrician, I was really into planes at the time. I spent 13 years in the Navy learning and working on a plethora of aircraft and electronics, rather rapidly I was put in charge of ever-increasing levels of responsibility. After an injury I left the Navy and started my journey into more interesting technologies.

Q&A

Q: Why did you decide to come to Centriq?
A: After leaving the Navy I was looking for a career path that was both interesting and just a little less physical. I have always loved technology and quickly gravitated towards web development and IT and when I was looking for a good training program to start my IT career, I was looking for a combination of quality and time requirement. I had seen many IT programs that were either poorly reviewed or obviously scams. But when I found Centriq and began my research into the company I saw an overwhelming amount of positive reviews. I came in to speak with Patrick the operations manager and after meeting with him, seeing the campus and talking to some students I realized that Centriq had both the book learning and job-focused hands-on training that I felt was essential for me.

Q: What class has been your favorite so far?
A: I think Powershell is my favorite so far. I have been playing with computers my whole life, so I find most of the programs and concepts to be straight forward and easy to understand. But Powershell is a new frontier, having studied programming before coming to Centriq I enjoyed the metal flex required to maximize Powershell’s, well power. The ability to automate so many functions, make otherwise tedious tasks quicker and easier to accomplish as well as the speed benefits of a well-written Powershell script make it a really fun tool to explore.

Q: What do you hope to do after Centriq?
A: My ultimate goal is to get into penetration testing. To achieve that goal, I am hoping to find placement with a company that offers a wide range of IT challenges, a place that allows me to work with groups other than my main group. I hope to land in a System or Network Admin role or find my way there quickly.

Q: What other hobbies and interests do you have?
A: In my spare time I still enjoy SciFi everything.  I read, watch movies and play videogames regularly to be honest I might have a bit of a book addiction.  I still enjoy programming, currently interested in programming small robotics like drones.  I am, as I said, a super nerd so I play Dungeons and Dragons with friends as well as regular board game nights.   Though its not all about shunning the sun, I hit the gym daily and love to hike forested paths and am a fish in the water.

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