For an eager hands-on learner like Anthony S., studying new material by reading book after book is the quickest way for him to grow bored and burned out. What he prefers is to learn on the job by solving complex computer problems and gleaning advice from mentors, and that’s exactly what he’s been able to do at Accent Computer Solutions.
In his time here as a Centralized Services Support Specialist, Anthony has had opportunities to learn through helping Accent’s clients and collaboration with teammates, in addition to traditional training. As a result, this is the perfect environment for him to grow and expand his professional skills.
“I’m a hands-on person and enjoy that type of atmosphere,” Anthony said. “If I get to physically practice when I’m learning something, it’s more enjoyable and easier for me to remember than only reading books.”
Securing Clients’ Confidence
Anthony began working at Accent nearly two years ago. After beginning his tenure at the help desk, he transitioned to Centralized Services, eventually landing where he is now as a Senior Support Specialist.
Anthony is primarily responsible for maintaining a variety of backup solutions for Accent’s clients, identifying and resolving backup failures, and testing disaster recovery. His work is all about verifying that clients’ critical information is available when needed and that everything works as planned in a recovery situation.
Anthony’s tasks give him plenty of opportunities to confront new challenges and craft solutions that help the entire team, as well as advance his IT career.
“Anthony is very hungry to learn and take on new responsibilities,” said his supervisor, Peter, Accent’s Chief Technology Officer. “He brings confidence and enthusiasm to take on new things, and I give him a great amount of respect for that.”
Advancing from Video Games to Cybersecurity
Anthony credits his interest in playing video games in grade school as the inspiration that led him to a career working with computers. After finally getting his own computer towards the end of high school, he was excited but didn’t even know how to turn it on. As a hands-on learner hungry to tackle new challenges, he took the first steps on what has become a continuous learning path with Information Technology.
After establishing a foundation of knowledge through coding and computer building classes, Anthony discovered a particular passion for cyber security. He earned a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in cyber security, then decided to pursue a master’s degree on the subject.
“The cyber world is a lot bigger and can be scarier than any other world out there because of how easy it is to be compromised and potentially lose all your data,” Anthony explained. “I love learning about new IT threats and how to protect against them.”
Fostering On-The-Job Growth
For an eager learner like Anthony, Accent was the perfect place to nurture and encourage his professional growth. He appreciates the mentorship he’s received from several Accent employees who have assisted him with his learning and offered help whenever something didn’t go as expected.
As Anthony has demonstrated that he can handle each challenge, Accent’s management team has given him more responsibility. He’s assisted team members with more complex tasks, using his confidence and personable communication skills to bolster the team. Anthony especially enjoys the satisfaction that comes from solving an extremely difficult challenge.
“After I complete something difficult, I enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from adjusting to the challenge and mastering the skills required to get it done,” he said.
Building Value with Relationships
It’s easy for Anthony to go the extra mile and do his best work when he knows that Accent’s management team notices and appreciates what he does. When he suggested that a client’s complex backup job that needed to occur every day be split into multiple backups, management implemented his solution. His idea improved the backup process and was a sign to Anthony that management values his opinion.
“I feel like I’m useful in everyone’s day-to-day activities,” Anthony said. “I feel like they appreciate what I’m doing, and I enjoy freeing up time for my team members to focus on something else.”
Anthony is also motivated to come into work each day because he enjoys spending time with his coworkers. When he first walked through Accent’s office doors, he was struck by how happy and cheerful they were. The excitement of being together and talking about not only what’s going on with work, but also the joys and challenges of their personal lives, has fostered friendships and bonds that help Anthony feel like a part of the Accent family.
Growing Through Challenge
Accent has proven to be the perfect place for an eager hands-on learner like Anthony to grow his professional skills and add to his knowledge. Through what he’s discovering each day on the job and through his studies, he’s on the right track to thrive.
“Anthony is very smart and puts in a lot of effort to understand his work,” said Peter. “He studies hard and works through complex problems, which is a big contribution to the team.”
That inspires Anthony to bring his best, no matter what challenges lie ahead.
