Christopher Rivera

Growing up, Christopher Rivera says he was the type of person who struggled to find their purpose. He worked several jobs trying to figure out his passions, likes, and dislikes. While working at a call center, he realized he enjoyed an office environment and working with computers but disliked being on calls 24/7. Attracted to the helpdesk field, Christopher researched his options for relevant skills training programs and found Per Scholas. He enrolled in Per Scholas Greater Boston’s remote IT Support course in February 2021. While the course was fast-paced, Christopher reports that it gave him a broad view of several IT-related topics together. Further, Christopher valued the professional development curriculum offered weekly, covering resume development, writing cover letters, and brushing up on interviewing skills. “It was pretty spot on in how they prepared us,” he says.

After graduating in April 2021, Christopher says he was surprised by the attention he received from employers. “After Per Scholas, I got interviews because Per Scholas is well known and reputable,” he says. “It has been night and day in terms of the difference between before and after Per Scholas.” Christopher eventually landed a position as a Helpdesk Associate at Vinfen Corp and reports feeling increased satisfaction in his new role. “I leave my job feeling fulfilled, having learned something new and knowing that I’m going to learn a lot more,” he says. Christopher further reports that he’s glad to be in the tech field, which he says is a very stable environment compared to his prior experiences working multiple jobs. “I’ve been going from job to job to job wanting to make a career out of it, and never felt that any [job] was somewhere I can build upon, somewhere I can climb, until now,” he says. “I would never have had the opportunity without Per Scholas, so I’m truly grateful.”