When Mario Osorio left for a summer vacation, he had no idea that he would end up getting an internship. Thanks to Susan Biszewski-Eber, College-wide Internship Coordinator for St. Petersburg College (SPC), Osorio landed an internship at BayCare.
From his perspective, Osorio felt that IT jobs were confined to an office setting. But once he started serving his internship, he realized that the IT world takes on a broader scope, incorporating concepts such as Network Security, Databases and creating websites. At BayCare, he was responsible for setting up network accounts for new employees, but his true love is working with switches and routers. This is apropos since he is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Technology Development and Management with a sub plan in Information Security Assurance (ISA).
A bachelor’s degree such as the one Osorio is pursuing as part of the College of Computer & Information Technology, which prepares students for careers such as:
- Software Developer
- Computer Programmer Network and Computer Systems Administrator
- Computer and Information Systems Manager
In addition to the ISA sub plan, students can pursue the following:
- Data Analytics
- Software Development
- Project Management
Osorio said that the training he received in his courses at SPC have been very helpful.
“My professor Cedric Way of CCIT made the subject matter come alive because he made practical application of the subject instead of just stating the facts,” he said. Also, being able to interact with guest speakers from the IT world who came to the classroom gave everyone a real-world perspective.
Osorio advised that students take everything seriously when in class. He further stated that in preparation for an interview, think of the type of person employers are looking for and do what you can “to stand out from the crowd.” In harmony with his advice, Osorio made his own business cards so that he could market himself to employers. Lastly, he advised students to make sure that their resume is “a cut above the rest!”