Mayors Summer Job Challenge/Week #3

This week we have been learning of the Microsoft history and how it has been developing through out the years. We also took a system unit apart(the tower) took out all the components and put them back together. Took a quick view of the mother board and the CPU. I loved the experience because its a hands on course.

Today Thursday May 21st, 2015 we had the opportunity to go to the Asian Art Museum to attend the Mayor Summer Job Challenge with mayor Lee and many other important companies to pledge jobs for youths of the ages 16-24. We spoke with Thomas Myers his a deputy director of workforce development. Amazing man who gave us his time and advice to better out future and there's a quote that i will always remember, "Bet the deadline don't meet the deadline."

I want to take the time and thank everyone that's giving us advice and giving their time to us the younger generation.

Ana A.

Week Three

Hello everyone,

These week in the Mission Techies was supper fun. On Monday we took apart a system unit, we learned about variables and integers in the coding class, and today at eight thirty in the morning we went to the Asian Art Museum for an event called the Mayors Summer Jobs Challenge. Where companies pledge to hire young adults to work for them. I will never forget what it felt like to be there, and the people whom I met there gave the Techies and myself good advice.

Maria M

LinkedIn Career Exploration Day

My journey starts here with LinkedIn. Learning all the possible opportunities that the computer industry has to offer with all of the different type of jobs. We took a trip to explore and open a LinkedIn account to start having connections with LinkedIn staff. Also helped us write our resume and a few tips to prepare for an interview.

I had a mentor that told us his personal story and journey of how he got the job at LinkedIn. His name is Syed Ali he motivated me to keep going on this industry also to try to go back to school. Because school is success. Gave me highlights for my resume.

Ana A.

My visit to LinkedIn

Hello everyone,

Last Friday was very interesting. We explored careers at LinkedIn,as well as got feedback on our resume and interviewing skills.

Overall I felt that it was great and hope to go back more prepared and more confident. I felt very welcomed and all of the employee's were very warm and awesome.


Maria M

Today's Hardware Lesson

Well, the Mission Techies Spring 2015 session started the Hardware lesson by dissembling and assembling a PC! Now keep in mind that this the first time these 4 young girls ages 17-24 have been exposed to learning the computer components. They all did really well!

My Experience At Meda

My time here at Meda was a great learning experience.I was taught many things and also got a chance to relearn things to so it was a great refresher too. Every department and its people are very professional and very welcoming. I'll miss this place things like repairing laptops while talking about your favorite games and just enjoying the time here. By Shion/Elijah Hill

My first two weeks as a Mission Techie

This program so far is great, i am learning a lot of different terms that I never heard technically like CPU, Motherboards etc.
I am excited about this program because I know that it could help me stick out on resumes. I like the support of the teachers they really seem like there are really here for us. Coding isn't easy but I like challenges, at the end of the program I feel I can take the things I learned and incorporate them in different jobs.

Takisha Edmunds

My first two weeks as a Mission Techie

Hello everyone,

I been in this program for two weeks, but i wasn't able to attend the first week because I had to accommodate my work schedule. Now that is all set, I am able to come to the program day by day excited to learn new things in the Techies industry.

Learning different components of the computer system and hardware, I can't remember all of the components the top of my head but i enjoy having to be with Leo, Olivia, Mark, and Karen.

Leo is the teacher and coordinator of the program. Olivia is preparing us to for interviews write our resume and knowledgeable of  the right steps to follow when searching for a job.

Mark is our coding teacher that is going to teach us to write a page and show us behind the scene of the web makers. Karen was teaching us of all the roles that are available in the techie industry.

Thank you all for your hard work and time you provide to all of us.

Ana Avilez

My first two weeks as a Mission Techie

My first two weeks as a Mission Techie is quite wonderful. Every meeting in our classes is different. I learned a lot of new things from how to build a system unit (or what Leo called "Tower") up to writing our first java program which is "Hello World."

Our instructors in Mission Techies are really great. They are good in teaching lessons and making the class very interesting. I also learned that in Technology there's so much stuff  you can learn and so much fun to do with it. Hopefully, this will continue until we all graduate and finally become Mission Techies alumni :).

-Jonathan T.

My first two weeks at Mission Techies

The last two weeks at mission techies has been very fun.
We have learned about BIOS, as well as the different types of RAM's.
Today we worked with Ms. Karen and we learned about the different stages of product service, and the different roles in the Tech world. I hope to succeed and finish all projects in time.

Maria Mendoza

My first two weeks as a Mission Techies

My first two weeks as a mission techies has been good we learned about technical support with Karen we learn about cpu and the motherboard, rams, Bios.

The class with Olivia we did planning your job search and with Mark we learning how to do coding.

Dejanae Fore, 

Mission Techies Spring 2015 Session

I am very excited to have such a wonderful cohort of 5 young adults in the Mission Techies Spring 2015. We have 4 girls and 1 guy and they all seemed to have  a good time so far! Nobody has been absent and they are always on time. I am looking forward to this cohort to graduate and thank you for giving me the opportunity to coach you on how to get a career path in the Tech Industry.

Leo Sosa

Mission Techies Alumi Winter 2015 Coding

The Alumni Mission Techies from the Winter 2015 session have been learning SWIFT (IOS) programming language to submit an app for the WWDC happening in SF this June.

Why I am here?

I am here to learn more about the technology industry and want to get more technology skills. I will love  to learn how to break down a computer and repair it back up and also working on a cover letter , resume.I am a hands on learner a very visual learner I like to take notes and ask question so I can make sure I don't miss anything or get something wrong but over all it seems like its going to be a great experience and I am happy to take this journey with the rest of the mission techies.

Dejanae Fore,

Why I am here?

I am here because I've always been fascinated by technology and how its used all around us. I like the idea of learning how to manipulate it. I hope to learn and gain knowledge in the technical field , such as how you create websites like Facebook, Google, Myspace, Instagram etc.

The environmental state that i learn best in is a hands on environment, I like to take notes, also receive demonstrations along with the notes.

 Takisha Edmunds

Why am I Here?

I'm here to learn more about the technology I use every day. My hope Is that I learn as much as possible about the ins  and outs of a computer. I cant wait to take things apart and, work with the other techies as a team so that we may all reach our goal.

Maria Mendoza

Why am I here?

Why am I here in Mission Techie Program? Well, I am here because I want to learn and develop skills that I can use in my chosen career which is networking and programming. Because, networking and programming have been two of the things that I wanted to study since I was a kid. But, due to financial and time constraints, I didn't get the chance to study these when I was still young.

Another reason that I am here is because I wanted to gain certifications in Microsoft, COMP TIA  and hopefully in other higher certifications too. 

I strongly believe that after this program, finally, my dreams will start to come true. 

-Jonathan T.

Why am I here?

I am here to learn as much as i can while I'm in this program. What do I hope to learn or gain in this program. With the help of the Mission Techies program. I hope to learn with the help and guidance from the Mission Techies instructors I hope to learn as much as I can about computers, as well as programs used with computers that I did not know too much about. What type of environment would I like to learn in. For me any environment that is fun loving is interesting to me. I like to learn in a environment I'd actually like to be in and so far its just what i needed.

Francesco M. Calabrese

Winter 2015 Session Graduate Blog!

Young Adult Graduates Celebrate with MEDA

May 1, 2015 /  Christopher Gil /  Bilingual Bank Teller Program, Mission Techies

Plaza Adelante was filled with youthful enthusiasm yesterday, as 10 Young Adult programgraduates celebrated the successful completion of their courses. The families of clients, MEDA staff and community members were on hand to applaud the achievements of these latest cohorts. MEDA’s free programs are aimed at young adults from underserved communities, offering a path to a career.

Bilingual Bank TellersThe first graduation, scheduled for late morning, was for the Bilingual Bank Teller program. Such jobs are the gateway to a successful career in the financial sector.

To showcase the maturation that had occurred, the six graduates shared their experience of the past 10 weeks. They concurred that they were nervous at the beginning, but that their confidence was now boosted.

Besides having a honed skill set, the group explained how they now also have a revised resume, an elevator pitch at the ready and improved interview skills, the latter because of mock interviews held at MEDA under the guidance of Job Coach Olivia Quinonez.

Additionally, VISTA SparkPoint volunteer Mark Marsella taught financial capability to the cohort, with certificates being handed out for this complementary course.

Graduate Wilfredo Gil spoke on behalf of his cohort, explaining the value of the Bilingual Bank Teller program as follows: “I feel as if I have gained many skills. I learned how to do standard banking things, while also learning how to budget my expenses. Leo and Olivia were the best instructors we could have asked for–they helped us every step of the way.”

Mission TechiesThe room was then packed for the 1pm festivities for the Mission Techies, where a path to an IT career is started, with everything from coding to soft skills in the curriculum.

Family and friends evidencing looks of pride on their faces surrounded the four equally beaming graduates. Technology Training Coordinator Leo Sosa, who spearheads this innovative program, welcomed the attendees.

The crowd even included Mission Techie Mercy Mena’s five-year-old son and fellow classmate Ramiro Quezada’s three-month-old daughter. Mercy, who graduated at an older age than the once maximum age of 24 to be eligible for the program, set a precedent for the community. Ramiro works nights and wants a job in the tech sector to better the life of his family.

The Mission Techies celebration was emceed by Elijah Toluao (photo), who eloquently stated how Sosa’s “drilling” had “made him a better man.” Mercy claimed she had “never met a man with as much enthusiasm” as Sosa.

Everyone was inspired by the graduates’ determination to be a part of San Francisco’s tech sector. They dare to dream of such a job despite the diversity gap of only three percent of the tech workforce being African-American and only four percent being Latino, according to statistics presented in the keynote speech delivered by MEDA Policy Manager Gabriel Medina. The Techies were advised that they are now part of the MEDA family and should never hesitate to come through the doors of Plaza Adelante if they need assistance. “We will fight for you,” finished Medina.

“The Mission Techies Program continues to be a successful, fast track IT career path for those looking to be part of the tech sector. This class was very special, as we included such competencies as Coding (Java), Intro to Networking and College Preparation,” stated Sosa, who knows this program is making an impact.