Fredericksburg Parent

30 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • June 2021 Kwaku Afriyie (pronounced "Kweh-koo Ah-free-yay") is an 18-year-old kid from Prince William County, Vir- ginia, who will graduate this month with no fewer than 25 job off ers from tech companies off ering $60,000… and up. But he's also your average kid who loves pop- ping Ski les and ea ng vanilla ice cream. What gives? Yes, of course he works hard. Like an eye-popping 18-hour work day to fulfi ll his three major responsibili- es: fi nishing high school, studying for and passing IT cer fi ca ons which were key to his job off ers, and working at Cyber Bytes Founda on gaining on the job work experience. But this is also a tale of what can happen when you merge the desperate need by employers across the country for cer fi ed entry-level IT professionals with an innova ve way of educa ng our gradua ng seniors. There are hundreds of thousands of entry-level posi- ons across the country going unfi lled because…we are gradua ng our kids without the necessary cer fi - ca ons to get a job the minute they set foot outside gradua on hall. Cyber Bytes Founda on, a non-profi t located a mile off Quan co Marine Corps base, decided to be a force for change. "I met Ma Weaver, director of Cyber Bytes Foun- da on, when I went there for my second or third IT cer fi ca on test," says Afriyie. "They had all these cool things going on, like building a quantum computer and the world's largest supercomputer dedicated to STEM educa on, hos ng the annual Hack the Capitol events, bringing all the major technology companies in the world to their facility. I thought 'Wow, this is where I want to be.' "Ma and I got to talking, and next thing I know I'm working for the Founda on doing IT opera ons and helping folks who were struggling with the cer fi ca ons to study and pass. Which, by the way, when they study with me, they pass the very next go-around," he grins. Meanwhile, Afriyie has passed fi ve cer fi ca ons in record me. How? You'd think his school system would have prepared him for that, and indeed, his favor- ite teacher, Mr. Bimber, is the one who helped inspire him to get on his current career track. However, Afriyie may be an example of our public school systems needing addi- onal support to keep up with the constantly changing world in the technology sector. Afriyie hopped onto Youtube to help him study—and pass—advanced IT cer fi ca ons that can stump adults. And plugging into Cyber Bytes Founda on is what allowed him to gain work experience and connect with dozens of em- ployers who are now interested in hiring him. In turn, this experience has shaped Cyber Bytes Founda on's focus on suppor ng local school systems in re-envi- sioning how they prepare students for the 21st century. "This is what I call the 'new collar' workforce," says Weaver. "There used to be such a s gma with CTE programs that o en lead to blue- collar jobs and such a premium placed on sending kids to university right a er gradua on for white collar jobs. But that's not how the 21st century world works anymore. Kwaku's going to college this fall—at night. During the day, he'll be making a great salary doing a job he loves and all because he gained the right cer fi ca ons and was exposed to poten al employers through us. This is a model we should replicate in school systems across the country." And the most important ingredient of all to Afriyie's success? "I have an extremely strong work ethic," comes his unequivocal answer. His parents, both of whom work in the medical fi eld and immigrated here from Ghana, have painstakingly ingrained in him the need to work with a singular focus towards his goals. His long-term goal? Becoming a full-fl edged cybersecurity profes- sional. His goal right now? Popping that next Ski le and telling a friend—maybe you?— about how you could also make some rela vely simple, but life-changing decisions and become part of the new collar future. Certifi cations for a New Collar Future • CompTIA A+ • CompTIA Network+ • CompTIA Security+ • Cisco Cer fi ed Network • Associate (CCNA) WRITTEN BY LEIGH ANNE VAN DOREN A Virginia New Collar Future How A Local Student Got $60,000 Job Off ers Right Out of High School $60K

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