How did DC native Freddie Jeffcoat wind up diving into IT? He has a different job at a DC Public School but one day he volunteered to oversee the school’s iPads. That was the turning point. His IT responsibilities soon increased and so did his interest in the field — he hungered to learn more.
Jeffcoat wanted to earn an IT certification, but all of the programs he found took 3-4 years to complete and cost a fortune. Then a friend told him about UPO’s CompTIA A+ Training Program, the condensed schedule, and the cost: only his sweat and determination. Perfect!
Jeffcoat completed the program, earned his certificate, then went on to complete UPO’s CompTIA Networking+ Training Program. The more he learned from these trainings, the more he wanted to learn, to be as competitive as possible. So when UPO’s CARES Act project announced a CompTIA Security+ Training Program, Jeffcoat did not hesitate. He knew that cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing careers in this region and the world.
Since he never went to college, he enjoyed that UPO’s classes made him feel like he was finally a college student. He really appreciated that the classes were online, which gave him more time to spend with his two daughters.
He expressed heartfelt thanks to UPO for its rainbow of life-changing programs, and he advocates for them in his community because they’re so important: “Keep up the great work. Thanks for the opportunity and keep putting [these programs] out there.”
