Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s information technology programs are on the cutting edge to ensure students get the training they need for success. Part of that training includes offering students the chance to prepare for and take nationally-recognized tests for industry certifications. Not only do these exams make students more employable, they can also pave the way to higher salaries.
“Business and industry are looking for applicants that have both a degree and certifications. In fact, job applicants with both are more likely to get an interview for a job,” said Angela Bryan, Computer Programming Technology instructor at the Jefferson Davis Campus. “Thanks to our curriculum
and the grant funds that pay for the certification exams, our students are prepared to enter the job market and find success.”Students are encouraged, if they pass a preliminary test given by their instructors, to take certification tests in areas such as IC3, A+, CIW Server Administrator and Network+. U.S. Department of Labor GeoITech grant funds cover the cost of certification tests for students. Since 2005, more than 70 students from both the Jefferson Davis and Perkinston campuses have taken and passed industry certification exams.
On the Jefferson Davis Campus, 30 students in the Computer Networking Technology, Computer Programming Technology and Network Security Technology programs earned industry certifications this year. One student, Nathaniel Griffith, made a perfect score on the Network+ certification exam.
Student - Certification
Colt Burkett - A+
Haison Cao - A+
Robert Carle - A+
Derek Cleveland - Security+
Sheila Cloud - A+
Ike Edwards - Linux+, Network +
Tommy Eliott - Server+
Dwayne Favre - Linux+, Security +
George Gallardo - A+
Roy Gibson - Security+
Adrienne Glaude - A+
Nathaniel Griffith - A+, Network+
Steven Howard - A+
Albert Huddle - Linux+, Server+
Jessica Hyland - A+, Security+
Robert Lutes - A+
Miranda Makela - A+
Bradley Marx - Project+
Mike McCaustland - Network+
Daniel McEldowney - Network+, Security+
Christopher Rhodes - A+
Thomas Rigby - Network+
Brandon Roberts - Linux+
Ian Ross - A+
Dylan Sanders - A+
Jacob Tatum - A+, Network+
Will Thompson - A+
Michael Tomasevich - Network+
Thomas Weber - A+
Rodney Wright - A+
Seven students in the Computer Servicing Technology, Web Development Technology and Computer Networking Technology programs at the Perkinston Campus took certification exams earlier this school year. Twelve more students passed certification exams recently.
Student - Certification
Michael A. White - A+
Jesse D. Burch - A+
Timothy R. Fair - A+
Ronald S. Sievers - A+
Shawn M. Hayes - A+
Justin L. Fregoe - A+
David Thompson - A+
Bob Martin - Network+
Victoria Leach - Network+
Lindsay Jones - Certified Internet Webmaster Server Administrator
Kathy Ziegeler - Certified Internet Webmaster Server Administrator
Wesley Ziegeler - Certified Internet Webmaster Server Administrator
*Please note that the A+ certification requires students to pass two tests.
