Ryan Johnson

Ryan Johnson, a Baltimore native, has long held a passion for security and tech. With a background in Criminal Justice, Ryan previously worked at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) / Homeland Security and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Prior to enrolling at Per Scholas, Ryan participated in Diversity Cyber Council’s 30-day digital bootcamp offered on site at Atlanta’s Westside Works where he was pursuing the CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ certification. After obtaining the certification, Ryan wanted to further advance his knowledge in Information Technology, and discovered Per Scholas’ program at Westside Works, which offered the CompTIA A+ certification he was seeking to obtain next. He noticed many employers were posting jobs citing the need for CompTIA A+ credentialed staff, and he enrolled in Per Scholas’ IT Support course to pursue this.

Ryan finished second in his class and obtained the certification on his first attempt. Per Scholas’ Business Solutions Team connected Ryan to TEKsystems – a vital employer partner and internationally renowned IT solutions firm – and advocated on behalf of his consistent work ethic and technical acumen. Within two months of graduating, he interviewed and launched a career with TEKsystems as an installer of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, which he described as a great entry point into the IT field.

Ryan credits the program, his amazing instructors, and the professional development offered by Per Scholas’ staff as “a blessing”. He stated the program is more than a 12 week course to get your certification. “Instead, they mold you, help you along, and prepare you to go out to get your first tech job”. He also credits how the Per Scholas program is designed and the amount of care and attention that is devoted in the steps taken after completing a course. “Other programs just don’t have the support in finding a job like Per Scholas has. It was more of ‘here’s your certification’ and so you hope you can land a job…unlike the meaningful partnerships that Per Scholas actually has.”

Ryan’s Per Scholas journey is not over yet. He plans to continue to gain critical skills and certifications to help him advance in IT, particularly Cybersecurity. “Cybersecurity was a big need during my time at TSA. Safeguarding America is a driving factor for me and I’m hoping I can gain the knowledge needed to get me in the door to being a greater asset to our government and that department”. Ryan has applied for the Per Scholas Cybersecurity program and is seeking to obtain the CompTIA CySA+ (Security) certification upon completion.