The Kenzie Community Shares Its “It Clicked!” Moments

Kenzie Academy celebrated its first annual “It Clicked!” Day on Aug. 24 to revisit those moments when things just click. Maybe it was that moment when you realized a future in tech was possible or that split second in which a tough concept finally made sense! “It Clicked!” Day gave the Kenzie community an opportunity to come together and share these meaningful and memorable moments.

Watch learners and alums from the Kenzie community share their “It Clicked!” moments!

We heard from learners on social media:

I was working long hours in food service, unhappy with my progress in life, and felt like I needed a change. I did some research on some possible solutions for careers and that’s when it clicked. I did some research and landed on Kenzie Academy! I am excited for what the future holds for my family and I!

– Breanna Martin, Kenzie learner

It clicked for me once I saw the IT program online and I just felt like it was the best program for me. I’m just so excited about joining this program and furthering my education.

– Jason Day, incoming Kenzie learner

The moment I realized I wanted to switch to tech I was about 28 years old. I was working in the accounting and finance industry for quite a while — for 4 years. When I was about to turn 28, I did a lot of research about UX design that sparked my interest. I knew I always had a creative side, and I just knew at the time accounting and finance were not for me. I’m so glad I found Kenzie through my research, and I’m glad they took me in and gave me that education to pursue tech. It was the best decision I could have ever made. I haven’t looked back since.

– Erika Vidal, Kenzie alum

We heard from Kenzie Academy staff:

It personally clicked for me when I made my career change from working in higher ed to working at Kenzie. I took a risk and went from an established college to join a startup and what a ride it’s been!

– Matt Cummings, Assistant VP of Alumni and Community Engagement

Hearing the stories and seeing that motivation in a potential learner to get involved in tech and begin their journey here … I think I get the pleasure of saying that it clicked at Kenzie every day!

– Adrian Woods, Admissions Counselor

After working for years in arts and nonprofits, I was ready for a change. I found Kenzie Academy through Southern New Hampshire University and it clicked at Kenzie instantly. When I saw how much both teams cared about delivering real access and real results for people looking to change their careers and change their lives, it was a no-brainer.

– Josh deVries, Social Media Manager

We heard from Aisha Overholt at our “It Clicked!” livestream:

Aisha Overholt is a current Kenzie learner and the guest of honor at this year’s first “It Clicked!” livestream event. Aisha’s “It Clicked!” moment began to take shape at a time when the world had been impacted by the global pandemic.

“Before Kenzie, I was working at a hospital. I started right when COVID hit, so I’ve been through that whole journey.”

After two years of working in healthcare through the pandemic, Aisha realized she wanted to work in tech.

“I started looking at different options. It’s hard when you’re 30 and you’re trying to figure out, where do I go from here?”

Aisha began learning about the tech industry through YouTube and TikTok and noticed her 10-year-old twins were learning to code at school, so she decided to give coding a try.

“I downloaded this little coding app and I think I must have tried it three different times to get into it. And it was on that third time that I thought, OK, I finally understand what’s going on. Let me continue with this.”

That was one of the first “It Clicked!” moments in her journey, and she followed it up by looking into coding education, schools, and certificates. Shortly after, she was ready to go as a Kenzie Academy learner and experience those first few days at school.

“I spent a lot of time reading, learning, and coding. I am brand new to this, you know, I have no previous coding experience, so just getting those basics down was really important to me.”

Aisha says her cohort and Subject Matter Experts have made her transition into Kenzie easier and have been there to give her support and answer any questions.

You know, I’m somebody who works still and has kids, but Kenzie has been wonderful. I didn’t have to do 8-hour days of this. I can pick when I want to do it, whether it’s the weekend or at night or in the mornings.

One of the most memorable “It Clicked!” moments for learners at Kenzie is when they come to the realization that they have what it takes to code. Aisha was no exception to this meaningful milestone.

“We were building up the basics, figuring out what is what, how to get things to work and run a terminal. Then we started to combine everything and figuring out how to organize that syntax and that was very difficult. Sure enough, going through it, I was asking questions to other people in the class and I realized they were having the same concerns. But when you work with others, things start to click a little bit more. I felt really proud.”

Aisha’s journey toward a career in tech is just beginning, but she already has big plans for the time graduation rolls around.

“Hopefully a year from now I will have an amazing resume set up. I’m going to have my projects built, and I’m hoping to interview with some local companies like American Express or Carvana. I want to be in that interview process. Maybe I won’t have a job, but I want to just dive in and find a company that will help me build on what I’ve learned here.”

She even has some advice for the people who may still be at the cusp of their very own “It Clicked!” moment.

Don’t be afraid. Really, it’s one year. In perspective, it’s one year of working really hard to get into a field that’s growing. You don’t want to be left behind or stuck where you are. You’re clearly already wanting to move. So, just accept that it’s going to be a challenge, but it’s better to start now than to wait. Just jump into it.

Will It Click for You?

“It Clicked!” Day gave us a closer look at those significant times at Kenzie Academy. If there are more special moments out there, we hope to hear about them at our next celebration. And, who knows, maybe we’ll hear an “It Clicked!” moment from you!

Watch our entire “It Clicked!” Day livestream!