From Interviewing Pain to Mainframe Gain
And so it begins — another day in paradise. As I make my lengthy commute from my bedroom to my office I begin to wonder: “How did I end up here?”
I didn’t mean the question to be one regarding the current remote work circumstances, but rather a check-up on how I ended up, for the first time, content in both my personal and professional life.
I am looking back at the mountain range behind me in awe of how much I have overcome to get where I am today. I think all of us need to, especially in shared struggles such as this current global pandemic, be proud of how many strides we made just to get to the point we are now.
Not even five years ago I was stuck in a low-paying job that was draining the life from me. I had a small handful of jobs that left me feeling like a Super Mario Brother because I must have lost at least a few lives during my shift. Jokes aside, working these jobs has helped shape me to have a deeper respect for all those who are in similar struggles and to truly be appreciative of where I am in my life now.
I couldn’t have gotten where I am without support. My sister offered me to live with her after I struggled to make any progress getting out of a dead-end job I was in for a few years. The struggling I did during that time really did put the help I was offered into perspective and I immediately started to save up to go to college. I had always wanted to work with computers and had a knack for software development already, so I decided to go to a technical community college. I finished with a 4.0 GPA yet struggled to find a job following graduation. Recruiters would hang up on me and online applications were auto-rejecting me… I felt hopeless.
So I opened up my search parameters a bit wider. Maybe web development? Or database administration? Perhaps I could learn more about Linux administration? Whatever would help me get into the technology industry, I would at least consider it. Eventually I found an opening for some paid training, something I was extremely skeptical of. I thought, “what could be the worst that happens? I felt an extra dose of nerves in the interview because this opportunity was one of the few that seemed interested in what I could do.
LaunchCode, the recruiting company, explained the Broadcom Mainframe Vitality resident program. The training would consist of mainframe basics and then product-specific training for one of Broadcom’s products. The product would be determined by customer needs as well as what areas we excelled in. Afterward, we go to a customer site to work with them for a few months with the end goal to be hired by that company. Sounds great, right? Except for one thing — I had only heard of mainframe in movies where people slap a keyboard with matrix-like patterns of green characters scrolling down the screen screaming “have you hacked into the mainframe yet? We only have a few minutes before the FBI shows up!”
I was accepted into the program. Which meant it was time to get a head start on learning the mainframe so that I could feel confident going into training. There’s a common misconception that if a technology has been used after 1960, the mainframe doesn’t use it. It uses punch cards and tape to make a giant computer that takes up a whole room to do 2 + 2. And people have to write 5,000 lines of assembly to write “Hello World” out to the screen. But all those ideas are false — I soon found out the mainframe has numerous innovations that keep it modernized and be relevant in today’s world. Learning the mainframe is a bit like entering a busy roundabout. Finding a good place to start is hard, but once you’re in, there is a stream of learning that can take you wherever you want to go. This program did an excellent job of getting us into that roundabout.
At first it can be intimidating. The first few days I was overwhelmed but with the help of the Broadcom trainer who was with us for the first seven weeks, we slowly whittled away at understanding these terms and their significance. Over time I managed to start shining in the program. I was picking things up rather quickly and was even helping other people in my cohort with certain topics! I started to feel like I could do well in this field.
When it came to product-specific training I was assigned ACF2, a security product, and the site in which I was likely to be assigned was very interested in both me learning ACF2 and using my technological background to help with automations and other innovations. Going through ACF2 training I worked alongside seasoned mainframers who knew the product inside and out. With their guidance, as well as countless others, I had the confidence to go through the interview process with the companies that were interested in taking on a Vitality resident.
I must have stood out to Erie Insurance, as they took a chance with me. I didn’t have a four-year degree, and that was a requirement for the role I was going for on their team. So, instead of the auto-rejects that I was used to at this point, they took the time to develop a program to help me get my foot in the door. My boss pushed hard to select me and have me complete my residency at Erie Insurance, and I am glad he did. The team I work with is amazing and I was able to contribute value to their team as early as day one. And after a few months of residency, they decided to hire me!
Now here I am working for a Fortune 500 company, financially stable and, for the first time in my life, content with both my personal and professional life. Life can be a series of ups and downs, but we all need to take a moment every once in a while to reflect on how many of those challenges we have already overcome. For myself, I know there are many mountains to climb, but I am excited for the future and it is all thanks to the Broadcom Vitality Program giving me a chance to shine!
