Meet Brandon Arnold, a current student in the Information Technology Program at WVJC Morgantown. Picture a college kid sitting in their dorm room, they’re surrounded by musical instruments and filled with an inspiration to record and write music. That’s how WVJC student Brandon Arnold’s story began. But from his love of music, another talent arose.
“I couldn’t afford to buy a computer that was pre-built during college, so I went to my local Microcenter for parts and after watching a thirty-minute video on “how to build” the rest was history,” said Brandon “Fast forward from that moment to 2020 when I needed to make some life changes, I’ve always had an interest in technology so it made the most logical sense to try it out.”
Before coming to Morgantown, he graduated from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA. Classes there required him to be interactive and they were also some of his favorites and that goes no different for his classes at the West Virginia Junior College.
“I love it when I have my computer classes on lab days. It’s always the best when we get to be hands-on,” said Brandon. “While I love all of the teachers I have in the IT program, instructor Robin Addis wins by default.”
Networking, one of the classes Robin teaches, quickly became one of his favorite classes because he was learning so much about computers. Every day he learned something new and found interest in the things that he was unfamiliar with.
All of his IT training opens up exciting new possibilities to a variety of careers. Brandon’s love for music only continues alongside his new passion. Currently, he works as a Guitar Instructor for Showtime Music in Bridgeport, WV, and previously he was a Guitar Painter for PRS Guitars in Maryland.
In the future he said he “would love to do something like Blue Team Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Sales or Penetration Testing, I think they would all be a cool experience,” said Brandon.
In five years, he hopes to be working a job that he is gratified with and has the ability to travel the world.
“First, I would love to make a million dollars, but in all seriousness, after this whole lockdown/pandemic I really want to get out of the house and see new countries. I would love to have an IT job that can afford me those luxuries. Traveling to Japan is definitely at the top of my list.”
Visit WVJC.edu or request information here to learn how you can start your path to a career in the IT field!