Kashena Miller

Kashena Miller, a first-generation-American daughter of Jamaican parents, was born and raised in Maryland. Upon graduating high school, Kashena briefly attended college before leaving to join the Job Corps. While in Job Corps, she earned four medical certifications and worked in the medical field through 2020.

However, the pandemic was a very difficult time for those in medicine and Kashena felt she needed a change. She wanted a job that would allow her the flexibility and opportunity to work from home. Growing up, she had an interest in computers and technology which she learned a great deal about from her older brothers. A friend recommended that she apply to Per Scholas and Kashena made the bold move to start over in a new field. She applied for and was accepted into Per Scholas Baltimore’s End User Desktop Support course.

Kashena enjoyed her experience at Per Scholas and found it to be very positive and supportive. She liked the balance between technical training and professional development, and made the most of the extensive resources offered to learners. “The coursework was very rigorous,” Kashena recalled. “You learn something one day, then the very next day you’re tested on it, and then learn something new. The instructors were great. I really appreciated that they had professional development days. They didn’t just assume that because you were a certain age you were privy to certain information, like how to build a resume or cover letter. Those days were very insightful….I feel like I utilized every resource that was offered. The financial coaches, counselors…I am so grateful that I went to Per Scholas. The people that I met – the teachers, the staff – they are amazing…the support was incredible. It felt like a net of support all around you. I am so grateful for the experience. I hope that other people can get to experience how great Per Scholas is. It is much more than just a tech program!”

After graduation, Kashena’s TEKsystems recruiter worked diligently with her to help her find work. She now works as a Service Desk (Tier 1) Technician for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, combining her interests in tech and medicine. She is amazed by how fascinating and broad the field of IT is and would like to see how far she can go and how much she can learn.