James Marsh | From Casino Dealer to Service Desk Analyst | People of Zero To Engineer

James Marsh was a casino card dealer for 20 years. Each day brought more of the same — patrons swearing at him, numb to the routine, stuck on autopilot. 

He had been caring for his grandmother for several years. He had gladly provided what she needed until it was time to move her to more intensive care. 

His responsibilities shifted. The clouds parted. All it took was one NexGenT Facebook ad, and he was ready to explore his options, even though he had no industry experience with IT.

As someone who had spent the majority of his working years in the same industry, he was intrigued by all the possibilities that come with earning IT certifications. (Spoiler alert: He later earns his FSNA and CCNA certifications, and that’s just the beginning.)

James emphasized that the casino industry didn’t have the same growth potential that IT had. You can only get so far in the service industry — it doesn’t leave much room for moving up as a whole.

When he encountered NexGenT through his Facebook scrolling, James decided to go out on a limb and give it a shot. He contacted us and was glad to hear that NexGenT was run by people who had worked in the industry and had an emphasis on practical application. 

James’ first decision was to join the in-person bootcamp we were hosting at the time. He was excited by the change of pace.“They [program advisors] don’t hold your hand. If you get really stuck, they’d help, but they’d never give me the answer. I had to figure it out.” James appreciated the way the instructors simplified complex topics but also allowed students the space to exercise their own problem solving skills.

Knowing he had found his passion, James put his notice in at his casino job after just a week in bootcamp! He was woken up to the mundane job he was so comfortable with and hesitant to leave and now ready for his next move – after just a weeks time! (We don’t expect this to always be the case, but with a success story like this, it proves that sometimes it helps to listen to that inner voice.) The confidence he gained from the exercises was what gave him the final push to put in his notice at the job he had held for 20 years. James knew he could succeed in the IT industry because of how thorough the training was. 

Now, he’s working as a Technical Service Desk Analyst, where he’s able to use his intelligence, his humanity, learn from others and (James added with a big grin) even grow a beard if he wants to. “It [the boot camp] was gold for me,” James affirms. 

 

Because of his experience with NexGenT, he was able to successfully navigate his interview, and win his position. His new teammates could tell that he was capable of working towards a solution, even if he didn’t have the exact answer to every question. Thought processes and analysis go a long way to shaping yourself into a top-notch IT expert. 

He was able to change careers in the middle of his life with success, at an age where most people would never think of trying it and the fact of the matter is, you can too. Whether your passion is for IT, Cyber Security, another field of technology, or even unrelated to tech – at the end of the day it is never too late to take the steps and begin your next chapter in your career.

“Thanks to NexGenT, I gained the confidence and the skills to move into a career that I actually enjoy, a career that’s challenging and a career where there are a lot of opportunities for me,” says James.

If you feel like you’re stuck, frozen in a career that doesn’t light you up, it’s not too late. It’s not set in stone. Like James, you could find freedom and opportunity. Look into our program options and fill out an application to see if you qualify today! We’re always happy to discuss all options and do whatever we can to help change one million lives by 2030.