Christina Armstead

When Christina Armstead found herself laid off, months into an unexpected career pause, she knew she had to pivot, but she wasn’t sure where to start. She had already begun building experience in IT, transitioning from a real estate background to a cybersecurity analyst role — but something was missing. 

She then discovered Per Scholas Baltimore. 

“I was building my skills, trying to prepare for the next opportunity,” Christina explains. “I came across Per Scholas while researching training that could help me stay sharp and marketable. It was exactly what I needed.”

Despite having previous IT experience, Christina chose to enroll in the IT Support course. Although this may seem counterintuitive to some, Christina made a strategic decision.

“I knew I needed to strengthen my core skills. I understood the concepts, but I didn’t have the hands-on experience,” she says. “Per Scholas offered the chance to pair book knowledge with actual, practical work. That made a huge difference.”

Christina also appreciated the program’s structure and pace, crediting the intensity with helping her develop adaptation skills that she uses in her current role. 

She wasn’t just facing the academic rigor of the program. She was also facing personal uncertainty, financial strain, and the self-doubt that creeps in when things don’t go as planned.

But she wasn’t alone. The camaraderie among her peers became a cornerstone of her experience: “We all had different stories, but we were there for the same reason. We supported each other, held each other accountable, and celebrated when we made it through.”

Today, Christina is an IAM Analyst at OneMain Financial, a position that aligns with her long-term career goals of becoming a Cloud Security Engineer or Architect. A role she wouldn’t have come across without her additional skill-building through Per Scholas. 

And while her path into IT may have been nontraditional, Christina sees it as an asset, not a hindrance.

“I took some advanced certifications early on, but coming back to the basics through Per Scholas helped me become more well-rounded,” she says. “Now I can speak to both the foundations and the advanced concepts with confidence.”

While the training itself was no-cost, living expenses during an intensive boot camp can be a barrier for many learners—Christina included. That’s where Per Scholas’s Zero Percent Loan came in.

“At the time, I had limited resources and no steady income,” she recalls. “The loan gave me the breathing room to take care of my responsibilities—keeping a roof over my head, maintaining transportation, just handling life.”

She says the application process was straightforward and quick. She encourages future learners not to hesitate if they’re considering the loan: “It gives you peace of mind so you can focus on succeeding in the program.”

While Christina enrolled to strengthen her technical skills, she walked away with something unexpected: stronger soft skills.

“I’m naturally an introvert,” she says. “Networking and speaking up in meetings weren’t my strong suits. But the pace of the program and the encouragement to collaborate helped pull me out of my shell.”

Now, she actively contributes during team calls and even finds herself mentoring others.

She is confident in her communication and presentation skills and adds that soft skills are “just as important as any certification.”

In the next few years, Christina hopes to move into a more senior IAM role and eventually transition into a cloud security engineering position.

But her ambitions don’t stop there. She aims to stay sharp in a constantly changing field. 

“I’d love to work for myself one day,” she says. “Being self-sufficient, maybe consulting—it’s something I’ve been thinking about more and more.”

She’s also keeping her eye on upskilling opportunities through Per Scholas’ alumni programs and aims to keep building on her certification and IT toolbelt. 

Christina has a message for those considering the Per Scholas journey: “Don’t underestimate the value of this opportunity. It’s more than just technical training—it’s a full-circle program. It supports your growth, your confidence, and your career.”

For Christina Armstead, Per Scholas wasn’t just a course—it was a turning point.

“I was down. I was looking for something to reenergize me. And Per Scholas did that. It gave me the tools, the support, and the confidence to start this next chapter—and I’m just getting started.”