At Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School (AoH), we provide workforce learners opportunities to gain direct involvement in their desired fields to add to their resumes, prepare them for their future careers, and spark economic mobility.
These experiences include internship opportunities or part-time positions at AoH. Some part-time positions are focused on the classroom, including tutors and teaching aids (TAs). Both positions deliver experiential learning by making learners connect academic concepts through real-world applications and by teaching these concepts to other learners.
In AoH’s Information Technology (IT) programs (CompTIA pathways), many learners take on tutoring and TA roles to gain these experiences and master the IT field to prosper in the working world.
Read about the impact these roles have left on learners:
Lead TA, Courtney Simms
Lead TA Courtney Simms began her journey at AoH as a high school learner.
She transferred into AoH’s GED program in January 2024 with only one GED exam left to graduate (mathematics). She completed the exam in March and joined the Class of 2024.
After earning her high school diploma, Courtney and her husband agreed to take a chance at advancing their careers. They both enrolled in AoH’s CompTIA Tech+ program, having no prior IT experience.
While Courtney’s husband departed for other opportunities, she decided to continue the program. Her dedication led her to earn not only her Tech+ but also an A+ certification.
Now, Courtney serves as the Lead TA (Tech+) while she works towards her Security+ credentials. As Lead TA, Courtney assists CompTIA instructor Christine Porter with class instruction online and in lab environments, material creation and gathering (i.e., study guides), and individual tutoring. She is also a certified proctor for the Tech+ and administers the exam to learners.
She is grateful for the hands-on experience being a TA has provided.
“I’m starting to see things that I learned in class now that I work in this type of environment … I never had to actually apply it in a real-world situation until I became a TA. And now I’ve just flown.”
Being a TA improved her professionalism and public speaking abilities. She applies these skills when communicating with AoH staff, learners, and external stakeholders, and during mock interviews.
Since starting at AoH, Courtney boosted her resume from Whole Foods Barista to IT professional. She hopes her TA position and gained experience will help her find full-time employment in the field.
“I’m hoping to gain full-time employment in my field, even if I have to start at a help desk and work my way up. I drive, and I fight for everything. I become the best because I’m willing to learn.”
Tech+ TA, Jhovi Polius
Tech+ TA Jhovi Polius enrolled in AoH’s IT pathways, looking to advance his current career in IT.
For a decade, Jhovi worked as a Genius at Apple, completing in-store hardware repairs and reinstalling operating systems on mobile, desktops, and other devices. He enjoyed taking things apart, but wanted to dive deeper into the connection between hardware and software. He was also interested in his friend’s careers as a system administrator and an engineer. To obtain both, Jhovi understood he needed to expand his education.
He enrolled in AoH’s CompTIA A+ program in 2023 and was able to bypass Tech+ due to his prior experience. In A+, Jhovi frequently assisted classmates falling behind. His classmates were impressed by his eagerness to help others and his knowledge, which they suggested he become a TA for the next semester. Before he could agree, Director of Career and Workforce Services Mary Cabriele offered him the position.
As a TA, Jhovi assists CompTIA Adjunct Peter Smolianski with Tech+ classes. He prepares resources, takes notes, and jots down questions from learners to address with them later. During in-person labs, Jhovi takes notes and draws out concepts on the board for visualization. He’ll even teach classes when needed.
Jhovi uses the “I do, you do, we do” method—a step-by-step approach where he first demonstrates a task, then guides learners through it, and finally has them try it independently. He enjoys watching “the lightbulb go off.” He tries to reflect the patience that Peter has for him in A+, because he knows what it is like to not understand something right away.
“I’m just happy to help people understand something. If you’re here, you have a purpose, you want to know, you want to try and give it a shot, and learn it. It’s good to have someone in your corner who’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m here to help you learn,’ because this has helped me learn.”
Jhovi is working toward his A+ certification, hoping that both this credential and his TA experience will lead to a fulfilling, ethical IT career.
Vahid Bassam
Tutor, Vahid Bassam
Like Courtney, CompTIA Tutor Seyedvahid “Vahid” Bassam earned his high school diploma at AoH.
Originally from Iran, Vahid enrolled in AoH’s GED program to earn his high school diploma and improve his English literacy skills for his resume. He received his diploma in 2024.
Vahid instantly enrolled in AoH’s CompTIA Tech+ program to transition from his previous job to the in-demand IT industry. In a year, Vahid earned his Tech+, A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications— all the CompTIA certification training offered at AoH.
His commitment and quick ability to learn were recognized by staff, offering him the opportunity to become a tutor. Today, Vahid tutors A+ and Security+ learners, assisting individuals who may need extra help. AoH CompTIA Instructor Jeffery Porter also provides Vahid opportunities to teach his classes.
Vahid says teaching and tutoring help him memorize, apply, and communicate what he’s learned.
“Tutoring helped me communicate better with people and explain technical terms and jargon with simple English words… These are helpful skills I need to find a future job.”
Outside of the role, Vahid is grateful for the support AoH has provided him in finding full-time employment. He can always rely on Mary and Employment Specialist Jamier Jones to help him research available positions, facilitate mock interviews, and list them as references on job applications.
“[Jamier] prepared for me a session for a practice interview with Zoom and offered me a quiet classroom at AoH, and he practiced a mock interview with me. It was very helpful and made me confident. This kind of support, I can’t believe, is anywhere else.”
George Anderson
Tutor, George Anderson
A friend motivated CompTIA Tutor George Anderson to begin his journey into IT. George had always been interested in computers and how they worked. So, when his friend told him he wanted to get into cyber security, George thought, ‘If he can do it, I can, too.’”
With the help of his vocational education counselor, George discovered he could enroll at AoH to earn CompTIA certifications needed for the career he wanted. He began with the entry-level CompTIA Tech+ program in 2021.
“Since then, I have progressed to A+, Network+, and Security+, and gaining those certifications, I have something called stackable certifications, which represents me being a CompTIA IT Operations Specialist – CIOS, and a CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist – CSIS.”
The CompTIA stackable credits validate George’s skill set for specialist positions and help him progress in the industry as he gains more experience.
With his expertise and enthusiasm for the field, George was asked to become a tutor for current AoH IT students.
“I accepted the role because I wanted to help my peers learn, and I felt like it was an amazing opportunity to gain experience in the IT field. I also was very honored that AoH thought so highly of me as a person to choose me as a tutor.”
As a tutor, George helps learners one-on-one and in group settings, discussing various topics to help prepare them for their certification exams. He often finds himself reviewing hardware and software troubleshooting with learners, which George explains is a major component of the CompTIA A+ exam.
George says the tutor position gives him more opportunities to showcase his skills and knowledge in IT and have a more hands-on approach to learning and teaching. He also likes how the position allows him to teach, something “I never thought I could do.”
He is thankful for the chance and for the AoH staff providing him with the support he needs to kick-start his new career.
“I want to thank Mr. Porter for teaching me everything I know about the IT field, also Ms. Mary for believing in me the very first time, and the entire Hope Forward staff for providing the extra hands-on help needed.”
Conclusion
Workforce training goes beyond the textbook. Learners must be able to apply the knowledge they’ve learned onto real-world situations. Hands-on learning, such as tutoring and TA roles, allow AoH learners to gain the professional and hard-skill experience, and confidence they need to be successful in IT.
To learn more about the different IT programs AoH offers, click HERE.
To discover how to maximize educational experiences on your resume, like being a tutor, READ.