Turning passion for tech into a career

Garret still remembers the thrill of getting custom Mario Kart tracks to work on an old Wii console. After a few failed attempts and many online tutorials, he figured out how to install the tools needed to run the fan-made modifications—unofficial content created by players.  

Once Garret realized that he could change how a system functioned, modifying games wasn’t enough. He soon challenged himself to assemble a gaming PC from scratch. He spent weeks researching compatible parts, comparing options and watching build videos. Then, Garret assembled his first computer piece by piece. He was still in high school. 

That enterprising curiosity and self-taught experience became the foundation of Garret’s career path. Now, through Mohawk College’s Computer Systems Technology – Network Engineering & Security Analyst program, he’s learning the technical skills and gaining the confidence to turn his hobby into a career. 

“Mohawk College has really sped up my networking knowledge by taking a look at the finer details in different systems and infrastructure,” says Garett, “figuring out how they work and how to fix them when they don’t. It has me looking at all aspects of the problem rather than just the big picture.”  

Read the full story on the Mohawk College blog: Building a future in tech piece by piece

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