CHULA VISTA (KGTV) — Students at a Chula Vista charter school are learning to repair computers and working toward an industry-standard certification that could launch their careers in the technology industry.
Inside a computer lab at Learn4Life Chula Vista, about seven high school students are enrolled in a digital technology program built from the ground up by Career Technical Education (CTE) instructor Robert Link.
"So my job is to work with students to teach them about career technical education. It's kind of like a modern-day auto shop," Link said.
Link works with students four to five hours a day, twice a week, giving them hands-on experience with the hardware and software they will need to know how to repair in the real world.
Student Maria Ochoa said the hands-on approach has made a difference in how she learns.
"So it was just very fun, very easy. If I didn't get it one way, he would explain it in another way," Ochoa said.
Once students complete the course, they can take the CompTIA A+ certification exam, which is an industry-standard credential for entry-level IT jobs.
"With that certification, they can find jobs in all kinds of different IT fields, usually things that are structured around IT support or IT help desk," Link said.
Link said employers like Apple, Best Buy's Geek Squad, and local tech repair shops like 'I Break You Fix' are among the places where certified graduates could find work.
The A+ certification can also serve as a launchpad into a broader IT career, serving as the first of many more certifications the students would have to build on to get into more technical roles.
Student Darius Pitts said he is already thinking ahead.
"After I graduate from Learn4Life, I was thinking about taking a course or majoring in computer science and possibly a second in business so I could start selling computers," Pitts said.
Link said the students have already taken the certification exam once and are preparing to retake it.
"So these tests are very much adult-level tests," Link said. "We're expecting them to come through and pass the second time."
