LaQuana Hill

When exploring modern technology careers, many potential learners naturally think of coding at a desk or working in cybersecurity software. However, there is an entire physical landscape powering our digital world—and it represents one of the fastest-growing sectors in tech.

LaQuana Hill spent 15+ years working in armed security. Needing a change of scenery and a career with long-term growth, she relocated to Georgia. Through the Low-Voltage Program at Per Scholas Atlanta, LaQuana transitioned to diagnosing complex enterprise systems. 

Today, she is a Level 4 Data Center Technician at TEKsystems, working in major hyperscale data centers and paving the way for a long-standing career. 

For prospective learners wondering what low-voltage training actually entails, LaQuana outlines the core distinctions. 

It bridges the gap between hands-on hardware mechanics and digital telecommunications engineering. Unlike high-voltage electrical work that handles raw power distribution, low-voltage infrastructure focuses entirely on data transmission, infrastructure signaling, and structural communication paths.

“I had to search what that was because I had no idea. It’s similar to cabling, but not regular cabling—it’s not like the Ethernet cables. It’s more of a telecommunication… dealing with radio frequencies, wavelengths, and infrastructure,” LaQuana comments.

The program curriculum sets learners up for multiple infrastructure deployment and maintenance fields, including:

• Cable Architecture & Termination
• Hardware Identification
• Command Line Troubleshooting

“Learning what the back end is and what I could do to fix it made it easier in person. In class, I learned how to identify switches, routers, and similar stuff.” 

Returning to a structured academic environment after more than two decades can bring unexpected hesitation. LaQuana initially worried that her lack of recent hands-on experience would slow her down.

“I hadn’t been around that many people in the school setting in about 20+ years… I thought it’d be a learning curve, and I’m not gonna make it. But once I started, it was easier than I thought.”

The classroom dynamics at Per Scholas quickly replaced that self-doubt with camaraderie and drive. LaQuana found herself thriving in a diverse cohort, ultimately transforming her study groups into a friendly, motivational competition that pushed everyone to score higher.

Driven by this competitive environment, LaQuana kept asking deep technical questions, pushing past the baseline syllabus, and graduated as the valedictorian of her cohort.

Because the Per Scholas low-voltage training program was corporate-sponsored by TEKsystems, LaQuana had an active career pipeline waiting for her before she crossed the graduation stage.

Her first role dropped her straight into an active hyperscale construction setting, where her hardware skills translated seamlessly from small-scale classroom labs to massive infrastructure systems.

TEKsystems took LaQuana on. “[Work is] honestly the same concepts as the classroom, just on a larger scale. The tools might look different, but it is the same concept,” she adds. 

Technology infrastructure is highly dynamic, and a low-voltage foundation unlocks immediate career mobility. By relentlessly networking and asking structural questions, LaQuana scaled her responsibilities in her first year.

Now operating at a high level (Level 4), her day-to-day responsibilities bridge heavy logistics with analytical diagnostic engineering, including:

• Delivery Infrastructure (DIAT)
• Enterprise Troubleshooting
• Hardware Configuration

“I’m now doing more on the network side and troubleshooting links, which involves communication between one rack all the way to outside infrastructure underneath the data center. This is new for me, and it is fun.”

The most significant change for LaQuana lies in how she utilizes her skills every day. Her role rewards analytical thinking: “I don’t really believe it sometimes. I can’t fathom that I moved from a physically demanding job, and now I get to use my brain more.”

Beyond her own financial stability and personal career flexibility, LaQuana has turned her success into an avenue for community advancement. She frequently shares the foundational tech roadmaps and study methods she received at Per Scholas with others trying to switch careers. 

For potential learners considering applying for the low-voltage program, she offers this advice:

1. Maintain the Curiosity to Go Deeper: “Study outside of what you were already learning in class. They give you the foundation, but you have to hold the willpower to go beyond what is being taught.”
2. Never Stop Asking “Why”: “I’m definitely a ‘why’ kind of person. If I don’t know why, I will ask and figure it out. I suggest you ask any questions you come across during your low-voltage program.”
3. Embrace a Landscape with Limitless Opportunities: “My life has completely changed. I’m not stuck in one place. I don’t have to stay in this little box. There are many avenues, and my opportunities have grown. This is endless.”