At Augustus F. Hawkins High School, technology has become an important part of students’ education and everyday learning. Behind much of the technology students use is Joshua Rodriguez, who works in IT and ensures that students and teachers have access to functioning computers and technology throughout the school day. His story is especially relevant today because many students are not only constantly thinking about their futures, but also confused about their possible career paths. As conversations about education and technology continue to grow today, Rodriguez’s experiences show that people can still change directions to pursue something better for themselves. 

   Before working in technology, Rodriguez worked at Best Buy, where he was mainly in charge of driving trucks instead of working directly with computers. Although the job was stable, he realized he did not want to spend the rest of his life driving trucks. He wanted a career that connected more with his interests and emphasized what was overwhelmingly growing throughout society: technology. 

    Due to this, Rodriguez decided to return to school and pursue a university degree in Cyber Security. He believed computers and technology were becoming the future for younger generations and wanted to become part of this growing field. Through his determination in education, he was able to transition into IT and eventually work at Augustus F. Hawkins High School.

  Now, Rodriguez focuses on helping students and staff use technology successfully. From working with devices to making sure students have access to computers while also teaching them how to use them, his role supports many throughout the campus. He believes exposing students to technology is important and teaching them to use it is important because many future careers will rely on digital skills and computers. 

  Rodriguez’s story shows students that career paths aren’t always straightforward. Even after starting in a completely different field, he was able to continue pursuing education and build a career that was more connected to his passion for technology. Rodriguez’s story shows students that changing career paths is possible if they are willing to keep learning and work toward their goals. Through his work at Hawkins, he continues to help students prepare for a future that will depend more and more on technology.