Germila Saint-Jean

When Germila Saint-Jean arrived in the United States from Haiti, she brought with her a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a quiet determination to succeed. But degrees don’t always translate across borders — and starting over in a new country meant rebuilding more than just a résumé.

She was working two jobs just to stay afloat. English, her third language after French and Haitian Creole, was something she was still refining. The tech career Germila envisioned felt both possible and distant at the same time.

She knew she needed something that would make her competitive in the U.S. job market — but traditional education was financially out of reach. That’s when she discovered Per Scholas Indianapolis.

Enrolling wasn’t an easy decision. The IT Support program was full-time and intensive. To commit, she had to leave one of her jobs. It meant less immediate income and more uncertainty — but also the possibility of long-term stability.

Her IT Support program challenged her from the start. Balancing coursework, work, and life demanded discipline. The technical material was rigorous. And then came a moment that many first-timers face: Germila failed her very first course exam.

Instead of letting her spiral into doubt, her instructors reframed the experience. Failure wasn’t proof that she didn’t belong — it was part of the learning process. They helped her identify gaps, focus on weaknesses, and try again.

That shift in mindset became a turning point.

Per Scholas gave her more than technical instruction. Yes, she strengthened her troubleshooting skills, earned certifications, and built hands-on experience. But equally important was the professional development — mock interviews, résumé refinement, career coaching, and constant encouragement. Per Scholas staff didn’t just prepare her to pass exams; they prepared her to walk into interviews with confidence.

Germila began to see herself not as someone trying to catch up, but as someone ready to contribute.

Immediately after graduation, Germila put that confidence into action. She applied and secured her first role as an Information Technology Help Desk professional at The PCA Companies.

From there, momentum built. She advanced to a Technical Support Engineer II position at TeKnowledge, deepening her expertise and expanding her problem-solving capabilities. Each role sharpened her skills and expanded her understanding of how enterprise technology environments operate.

Today, Germila serves as a Data Center Operations Technician L3 at Amazon Web Services, supporting critical infrastructure at one of the most influential cloud computing companies in the world. The journey from juggling two jobs to working inside global cloud infrastructure represents more than career growth — it represents transformation.

The impact on her life has been tangible. She no longer works multiple jobs. She has stability, upward mobility, and a clear professional trajectory. Just as importantly, she carries a new sense of self-assurance. The confidence she built during those months at Per Scholas continues to shape how she approaches new challenges.

Her ambitions haven’t stopped. She is actively working toward becoming a network engineer, taking advantage of opportunities to shadow teams and continue learning. Growth is Germila’s strategy.

For others considering the leap into tech, her message is grounded in lived experience: “You don’t need to have everything figured out. You don’t need a perfect background. What you need is commitment. The job search may be difficult. Rejections may come. But persistence, preparation, and community make the difference.”

Programs like Per Scholas don’t just teach IT fundamentals. They create access — particularly for talented individuals whose potential might otherwise remain untapped. When learners receive rigorous training, career preparation, and sustained support, the results are measurable: stable employment, career advancement, and long-term economic mobility.

Germila’s journey is proof. From Haiti to the U.S. workforce. From two jobs to one thriving tech career. From self-doubt to leadership potential.

She didn’t just find a job in technology. She built a future in it.