Many career and technical education courses at Pea Ridge High School offer students the opportunity to earn industry-recognized certifications. These certifications are designed for students who will be pursuing their area of study after high school and who are looking to be workplace-ready in their desired field. Think of it as giving students a “leg-up” on their competition in the workplace!
Pea Ridge High School Sophomore, Ezekiel Whitaker, recently took and passed the CompTIA A+ exam, which is a certification that students can earn to better prepare them for work in the Computer Science Industry. CompTIA exams test knowledge in skills such as: installing and configuring devices, connecting devices to networks, troubleshooting common problems, performing basic cybersecurity mitigations, demonstrating basic knowledge of scripting, the cloud, and virtualization, as well as following best practices for safety, environmental impacts, and communication and professionalism. This exam is considered highly valuable and is a certification that high school students can earn to work towards a diploma with merit; as it is tied to an area of study that is considered “high demand and high wage” by the state of Arkansas.
We took some time to visit with Ezekiel about what earning a certification like this means for his future in this pathway as well as what his goals are post-high school.
Question: What made you want to pursue computer science and are you planning on continuing to pursue this pathway in the future?
Whitaker: I am pursuing a career in computer science, specifically cybersecurity, because I am determined to make the digital world a place where the truth can be shared, and privacy can be held, simultaneously for everyone, in every environment. After high school, I plan to continue to pursue this career, by applying for a job at a technology company such as CISCO or others. I believe that the certifications I plan to get throughout my high school career, through the computer science pathway, will set me up for success in the real world. The CompTIA A+ certification is just a building block. It is the first step to the career that I desire. Like everyone else, I must start somewhere, and build knowledge, skills, and experience from that point up.
Question: What is the next certification exam you are planning to take and how will it help you in the future?
Whitaker: The next certification exam I plan to take is the CompTIA Network+, followed by the CompTIA Security+. After this, the second half of my junior year, and most of my senior year is when I really plan on challenging myself and stacking up some cybersecurity, ethical hacker, and pen-testing certifications. These certifications will help me achieve my goal in the future because, though I don't plan on going to college, I can get many of the certifications required for a cyber security position, early, without having to spend years getting a secondary education and taking classes that aren't entirely necessary to my career.
Question: Any advice you would give to younger students who are interested in this pathway?
Whitaker: I really encourage kids to pursue the computer science field now, if they are interested because the earlier one can get started in this field, the easier it will be after high school. If any students have any further questions about the certifications I am planning on getting or the journey I am taking to achieve my goals in this career field, they can feel free to contact me at my school email ezekielwhitaker27@pearidgek12.com.
We are proud of Ezekiel and his great work! And we are thankful for teachers like Mr. Carreira who make these opportunities for students possible.