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Student Builds On a Natural Talent 

There are people who run into a problem on their home computers, switch them off, and vow never to let an inanimate object frustrate them to that degree again.  Then there are people like Blake Wilson.  They run into a problem and calmly troubleshoot until it’s resolved.  This attitude led Wilson to a sideline helping others with their computer problems and eventually, to seek an associate degree in Networking Administration from Greenville Tech so that he can make a career out of something at which he’s a natural.

Wilson says he spent his twenties trying to figure out what made him happy and what he wanted to do in life.  He waited tables, worked for UPS, and even owned his own restaurant.  In fact, there were eight or nine different careers in all before Wilson made the decision to go to college. Coming from jobs that were labor intensive, Wilson was seeking something that’s mentally challenging.

He investigated a number of different colleges, both two-year and four-year.  And even though he lives five minutes from Clemson, he liked the hands-on aspect of Greenville Tech’s program so much that he was willing to make a 40-minute commute.

Soon after enrolling at Greenville Tech, Wilson accepted a work study position in the college’s Computer Technology lab.  There, he works alongside a network administrator, assisting with all the duties he will soon be responsible for.  These include connecting on a daily basis with the user and the computers, installing software, adding users to the network, troubleshooting problems, using preventive maintenance, and designing an efficient network, a task that is continuous to keep up with changes.

Wilson has found that communication skills are a requirement.  “Communication skills are just as important as technical skills in IT,” Wilson said.  “It’s a challenge to take what you know and communicate that knowledge effectively.”

In the two-year Networking Administration program, Wilson feels he’s gained a firm foundation and has built on that knowledge over time.  “This is a field you cannot learn overnight.  There are institutions that advertise giving you these skills in six months.  But experience is just as important as book knowledge and that takes time.  You can’t use a quick fix,” he said.

For people like Blake Wilson who enjoy working with computers and troubleshooting problems, there’s Greenville Tech’s Networking Administration program.  For everyone else, it’s good to know that there are knowledgeable people like Blake a phone call away.

Update From Blake on 02/14/06: After obtaining a Network Systems Administration degree I continued to work for Greenville Tech taking a position as Communications Coordinator at the Brashier Campus. Then I decided to take a Computer Technician Position in the Engineering Technology Department with Greenville Tech to return to school part time. Now I am working on my Geomatics Certificate in GIS software. The education I have received from Greenville Tech has open more doors and potential opportunities that would not have been possible without it. I look at the degree as not only an IT foundation but a spring board to other areas of discipline. I am grateful and blessed for the impact it has made in my life.

 
 
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Greenville Technical College   P.O. Box 5616   Greenville, SC   29606-5616   (864) 250-8111

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