February 2022 - i.c.stars

i.c.stars provides underserved with tech training

WebAdmin2024-08-05T16:36:00-05:00February 28th, 2022|National|

Ismael Lopez was working at a restaurant in Chicago when he was laid off due to the pandemic. He moved home to Milwaukee to find another job.

Lopez, 38, spent most of his career in the restaurant industry. He also had a talent for solving issues on smart devices and decided to get serious about a career in IT and computer science.

While attending classes at Milwaukee Area Technical College, Lopez was approached by a recruiter from i.c.stars about joining its program in Milwaukee.

“I thought it was a scam,” Lopez said, adding after talking to a few graduates of the program he decided to apply and is now halfway through the program.

Alumni Creates Award-Winning Resource

WebAdmin2024-08-05T16:27:56-05:00February 8th, 2022|National|

Jeremy worked at a factory for five years before i.c.stars, making just a dollar over minimum wage at the time of his departure. “I looked at my boss– the manager and a nice guy—he had worked there for 26 years doing the same thing all that time. I thought, wow, there’s no career ladder here, no better future. I knew I had to do something, but school would have been tough to do while working.”

Always interested in technology, Jeremy saw an article in the newspaper ‘RedEye’ about a technology networking event called: ‘OpenGov Hack Night’. He attended, met people in the field and was introduced to i.c.stars. “There was no cost for training, and we got a stipend. While the stipend wasn’t much, through an upcoming income tax return and some savings, it was possible for me to make this change. I was accepted into i.c.stars and joined Cycle […]