Syed

Age: 19
Position: Team Member
Employer: I Dream of Falafel
Employed Since: December 2019

Syed is gifted with technology and dreams of one day starting his own tech company.

This year, he took a big step towards achieving that goal.

Syed moved from India with his mom and sister in 2017 and began attending Sullivan High School, where he has worked with two different YJC career advisors. Throughout this time, he has attained jobs at Dunkin Donuts, After School Matters, and I Dream of Falafel. Syed worked hard to keep up his grades while working 35 hours a week to support his family.

When his career advisor Hester Buell saw Syed’s work ethic and heard about his interest in technology, she knew he would be an excellent fit for Year Up. Year Up offers young adults the opportunity to gain rigorous training, professional development, college credits, and a corporate internship with a major company in the fields of IT and business. It provides amazing mentorship and a connection to the corporate world that most young adults simply do not have access to. But because of the intensity of the program, it requires an individual with curiosity, dedication, and ambition to succeed. It requires someone like Syed.

After Hester referred him, Syed applied and was quickly invited for an interview! He worked with Hester for hours each week leading up to his interview—perfecting his resume, editing his essay, and practicing his interview skills. When the interview came, he was able to talk about his strengths, share why this program was important to him, and show the interviewer that he would be an excellent fit.

Two weeks later, we could not be happier to announce that Syed is finishing up his enrollment to begin the IT program at Year Up in September. He will be taking classes to develop the skills needed for IT and Helpdesk, as well receiving professional mentorship to learn how to navigate the corporate workspace. Syed will graduate a year from now with professional contacts and hands-on experience working at a major corporation—well on his way to achieving his goal.

Way to go Syed!