Self-Taught Success: From Church AV to County IT Professional with Fernando Reyes | Ep025

In this episode of Career Downloads, Manuel Martinez sits down with Fernando Reyes to discuss his remarkable journey from church multimedia volunteer to Systems Technician II at Clark County.

Fernando shares how his technology journey began with a Windows 95 computer his father brought home, which sparked an interest that would later flourish when he volunteered at his church's multimedia ministry. What started as helping with video recording evolved into a full-time position where he spent 11 years developing skills in production, IT support, and technical troubleshooting.

Throughout the conversation, Fernando reveals how he strategically navigated career transitions with a clear end goal in mind: working for Clark County. Despite having no formal IT education or certifications, he built his technical expertise through hands-on experience, YouTube tutorials, and guidance from mentors who recognized his potential.

Listeners will gain valuable insights on:
- Building technical skills without formal education
- Setting concrete career goals and working systematically toward them
- Finding and learning from mentors who can accelerate your professional growth
- Balancing family responsibilities while pursuing career advancement
- Developing communication skills to effectively present technical solutions to leadership

Fernando also discusses the importance of character, loyalty, and commitment in building a successful technical career, as well as his future goals to develop his own business while continuing his work with the county.

Whether you're starting your IT career or looking to make a strategic career move, this episode offers practical advice on career planning and professional growth that you can apply to your own journey.

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