For the last three months, the most recent cohort of ICD's IT Academy graduates interned for the NYC Department of Social Services (DSS) through the Partnership for Inclusive Internships program. These participants provided expert technical support to thousands of DSS employees as they aided the most vulnerable New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently, amNY Metro interviewed two of these IT Academy graduates, Ahmad and Nicolas, to learn more about their internship experience.
Ahmad Afzali, ICD IT Academy graduate and DSS intern
Ahmad, who is deaf, told the reporter,
“I used to think that it would be impossible to work for a big City agency. I had a pessimistic outlook but being able to get into this internship and having people say yes to me definitely changed my outlook."
Nicolas Papadatos, ICD IT Academy graduate and DSS intern
And in his interview, Nicolas spoke about the value of certifications and said,
"Unfortunately, when I’ve sent out resumes because I don’t have certifications or documents, people say... 'nope he’s not qualified.'"
Now, as Cisco CCNA holders and recent interns for the largest local social services agency in the country, Nicolas, Ahmad, and their peers are ready to take on the tech sector!