I would like to thank Symantec for the opportunity to share my experience at Year Up Bay Area (YUBA) so far.
My name is Alex. As a San Francisco native, I have seen this city change drastically over the years, from blue collar and gritty to tech savvy and modern. The economic transition towards all things tech made me realize that a tech career is a lucrative one, but I didn’t know how to get my foot in the door. After graduating high school, I had to work construction to provide for my family. I also had enrolled in college full-time but eventually had to call it quits due to financial constraints.
I first heard about Year Up through my sister, who encouraged me to look it up. I admit that I initially had my doubts. Year Up’s benefits seemed too good to be true: a monthly stipend, free education, internship placement and college credits. In just a few weeks, I can confirm that it is all true.
YUBA is a place where they foster a sense of community and self-awareness. My experience so far has been one of rapid personal growth. As I go through the Learning & Development phase (the first 21 weeks of the program), I am gaining all the necessary hard and soft skills to be an intern that is reliable, knowledgeable and a valuable asset to the company. Courses like Independent Learning, Business Communication and Corporate Computing are not only preparing me for my future endeavors, but are also making me think critically while still being able to work in a team.
This is what separates Year Up from all the jobs, classes or schools I’ve attended. Year Up is a strong support system that is preparing me and my colleagues to excel at our future internships and careers. Year Up’s potential is unlimited and that goes for students, staff and corporate partners like Symantec alike.