Colaberry Alumni Success Story Roundup
Throughout 2019, we have brought you many different Alumni Success Stories. Since we are rounding out the year, we wanted to share five amazing Colaberry Alumni Success Stories in this roundup post.
Beating the Odds from Homeless Shelter to Business Intelligence Analyst
Beating the Odds from Homeless Shelter to Business Intelligence Analyst“That night we slept in our car, in the middle of January, with no heat. We ended up having to park and sleep at truck stops and behind vacant lots. When I got paid, I would get a hotel room for us for a few nights. Whenever I was able to get off work in time, I grabbed my kids from childcare and went downtown to the shelter. I would pray that I would be in line just in time to be chosen. When that happened, the kids and I would share a cot. And then early in the morning, I would get up, send them to school, and off to work I go.
Sometimes we would make the line for the shelter, and sometimes we didn’t get there in time. If we didn’t — we would have to sleep in our car. I couldn’t afford to get another apartment. I couldn’t afford to pay the application fee and the deposit, and I couldn’t afford the rent. I didn’t qualify for food stamps or daycare assistance because my job paid me just enough to disqualify me from any assistance, so I had to figure it out on my own. We lost everything: no beds and no furniture to sit on, no plates or cups to drink from.
Ever since I joined Colaberry School, my life has taken a complete 180. The staff, the program, and their Refactored online platform helped me launch my career. Not having to worry about money is a blessing. I cannot thank Colaberry enough for giving me this opportunity.
I still remember my days at the bank, when I would wait for payday, with only a few dollars left in my bank account, praying that nothing would happen between now and payday. Now, after having completed the Colaberry training and landing a job, I see my bank account balance grow from paycheck to paycheck. What an amazing feeling that is!”
Read Mika’s full story by clicking here.
Shea Transforms His Life to Becoming a Successful Analytics Consultant
Like Mika, Colaberry alum Shea used his dedication to build a better life and you can too! Reaching our potential can at times be a long process, and facing the difficulties alone often doesn’t lead to a better life. Here’s a snippet from Shea’s interview on the obstacles he beat and his experience with Colaberry.
Colaberry: How did you hear about Colaberry?
Shea: Word of mouth. A friend of mine had gone through the training earlier and let me know about the program.
What do you think people should know about you?
Shea: I’m a very dedicated person and if I believe in something, I will give it 100%.
Was any family member(s) or support system instrumental in helping you reach your current level of success?
Shea: I had a great support system here in Texas. A lot of my family is out of state but supported me as much as they could. I think this made a world of difference in my success.
Why did you decide to enroll in the Colaberry School of Data Analytics?
Shea: I knew to get ahead, I would have to change careers. From a bunch of research, I knew IT careers were very lucrative and salaries could represent my true potential more. This has proven to be very true as I moved into this amazing career field.
What challenges or circumstances did you have to overcome to be successful (if any) and how did Colaberry assist you in that?
Shea: I was very low on money and living paycheck to paycheck. I knew that I had to learn and finish the course as fast as I could without sacrificing my knowledge. I had 3 part-time jobs at the time and had to juggle this course/workload along with that. Colaberry was very accommodating with my schedule with the classes and always encouraged me to never give up when things got tough because there was a “light” at the end of the tunnel.
Read Shea’s full story by clicking here.
From Teacher to Business Intelligence Analyst
Teachers are leaving the profession en masse due to low income, job instability, and the need to support their families as automation may soon replace their jobs as well. This excerpt from Addie’s Alumni Success Spotlight focuses on some of the benefits she earned from the program and her amazing story.
Addie became #FutureReady with new tech and data skills and transformed her life with Colaberry’s Data Analytics program.
“The biggest circumstance that I had to battle through included the fact that I was newly divorced with a brand-new baby when I started to attend school.
I was dealing with emotional and hormonal turmoil while trying to enrich myself and build a better future for my children. It was tough trying to juggle all the different needs of my new life, as well as taking care of the needs of my young family. Colaberry’s programs are flexible, and the staff is understanding and driven to see you succeed. I am so thankful and my circumstances have changed so much since the day I began the program.
One quality that I did inherit from Colaberry was persistence. There were many times when I was ready to quit the program and go back to my life as a teacher. But, every time that defeatist mindset crept in, I would wipe my tears and start working on more of the curriculum. I knew there had to be a greater benefit to the school than just the technical, I just didn’t know what it was at the time.
The increase in my salary allowed me to accomplish some other long-term goals. The first was that I was able to pay off all my credit card debt as well as all of my student loan debt within my first year on the job. I can now provide for my little family in ways that I never thought possible. It has been such a blessing.”
Read Addie’s full story by clicking here.
Colaberry Offers Military Financial Aid: Adrian Closed His Skills Gap and Improved His Transition To Civilian Life
Colaberry has a very strong military family including many students and alumni who’ve successfully transitioned from military to civilian life themselves. Enjoy this snippet from Adrian’s interview on how he overcame the challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life.
How did your service in the military prepare you for the Colaberry training program? It took me 7 months to go from my first day in the military to the day I arrived at my unit in Washington, DC. It took almost the same amount of time to go through the Colaberry program and find a job in my new field. I became accustomed to hands-on learning in the military, so this approach was already very familiar to me when I joined Colaberry.
Were you a part of the veteran community at Colaberry?
When I started my training at Colaberry, I was the only veteran student there at that time. I ended up referring Colaberry to another friend from my military unit, who is now a BI developer.
Did you have any prior experience in the tech or data field?
I did not have any experience in either of these fields. However, I was a licensed nurse, which has helped me when working with medical data.
What course did you complete at Colaberry?
I completed their Data Analytics course.
How do you think you benefited most from the Colaberry training?
The program equipped me with the knowledge and skills to move into a career I love. My very reasonable financial investment in the program resulted in significant income growth and provided me with an opportunity to have a certain flexibility in my work and time for my family, friends, and hobbies.
What do you find most enjoyable about your current position?
Flexible work hours and the ability to work from home.
Read Adrian’s full story by clicking here.
From Cable Installer to Data Services IT Manager
Colaberry: How did you hear about Colaberry?
Kodjovi: I was working as a DirecTV installer and met a client who told me about Colaberry. The client was impressed by how fast I worked on his cable issue and asked me about my background. I told him I had a bachelor’s in mathematics and a master’s in information systems but could not find a job. I also told him about my military background.
Colaberry: Was any family member(s) or support system instrumental in helping you reach your current level of success?
Kodjovi: Yes, my wife. At first, she was reticent but then gave in when she saw how good I was doing in the class.
Colaberry: Where did you grow up? Are you a member of any underrepresented classes in the tech world?
Kodjovi: I grew up in Togo, which is located in West Africa.
Colaberry: Why did you decide to enroll in Colaberry’s School of Data Analytics?
Kodjovi: I had these degrees but was not able to find any jobs.
Colaberry: What challenges or circumstances did you have to overcome to be successful (if any) and how did Colaberry assist you in that?
Kodjovi: I do stutter, so Colaberry employees created a data-driven, video and audio-based AI system that allowed me to practice a lot and figure out how to avoid stuttering. They saw how hard I worked through the curriculum and wanted to help me ace my interviews. Their system not only helped me but also helped thousands of others develop great communication skills.
Read Kodjovi’s full story by clicking here.
Our Program
Colaberry has been providing one-of-a-kind, career-oriented training in data analytics and data science since 2012. We offer instructor-led onsite and online classes. Learn with us in person on our campus in Plano, Texas, or remotely from the comfort of your home. We have helped over 5,000 people to transform their lives with our immersive boot camp-style programs.
In-Demand Skills
Colaberry training programs equip you with in-demand tech and human skills. Our up-to-date lessons and carefully crafted curriculum set you up for success from day one. Throughout the training and the job search, our mentors will support and guide you as you transition into a fast-paced and exciting field of data analytics and data science.
Project-Based Learning
Our programs integrate projects that are based on real-world scenarios to help you master a new concept, tool, or skill. We work with you to build your portfolio to showcase your skills and achievements.
Award Winning Learning Platform
You will be learning using our homegrown technology platform Refactored AI, which has been recognized as the “Most Promising Work of the Future Solution” in global competition by MIT SOLVE. Our platform also received General Motors’ “Advanced Technology” prize and McGovern Foundation’s “Artificial Intelligence for Betterment of Humanity” prize.
Placement Assistance
Colaberry’s program, platform, and ecosystem empower you with skills that you need to succeed in your job interviews and transition into a high-paying career. Over one-third of Colaberry graduates receive job offers after their first in-person interview. We provide you with continuous mentoring and guidance until you land your job and provide you post-placement support for twelve months so that you not only survive but thrive in your career.
Financial Aid
At Colaberry, we strive to create opportunities for all. We work with each individual to ensure the cost of the training does not hold them back from becoming future-ready. We offer various payment plans, payment options, and scholarships to work with the financial circumstances of our learners.
Military Scholarship
Colaberry is committed to supporting men and women who have served our country in uniform. As part of this commitment, we offer Military Scholarships to enable active-duty and retired military members to transition into civilian life. We have already helped numerous veterans by creating a pathway to rewarding and exciting careers in data science and data analytics. We hold alumni events and provide an extensive support system and a strong community of veterans to help our students succeed. Contact our enrollment team to find out more about how we can help you.