Warsaw Area Career Center Work-Based Learning Spotlight: Winona IT

February 14, 2024 at 5:07 p.m.
Pictured (L to R) are Eli Demopoulos, of Winona IT, with Josh Smith, WACC intern. Photo Provided.
Pictured (L to R) are Eli Demopoulos, of Winona IT, with Josh Smith, WACC intern. Photo Provided.

By Melissa Kissling, Warsaw Area Career Cente

Warsaw Area Career Center Intern: Josh Smith
Parents: Sean and Kendra Smith
Student’s Job Title: Help Desk Tier 1 Technician
What are your job responsibilities: My job responsibilities are to fix any problems that clients are having with their tech, whether it is hardware related or software.
How has this position been helpful to you? This position has been helpful for me because it has helped me see that it is the job I want to go into. This job has so many opportunities and wonderful things that happen. The people are amazing and fun to work with.
What have you learned? I have learned a lot, whether it was replacing networking cables, printer issues, doing a device setup, how to image a computer and many other things.
How is this job preparing you for the future? This job will help me prepare by getting me ready for the real world. It is helping me learn how to interact with co-workers and clients, how to turn something really tech into something the clients will understand easier.
What do you like about this job? I love everything about this job. I look forward to going to work every day because I have a good time and love helping people.
What Career Center classes have you taken in your pathway? Intro to Computer Science, Principles of Computing, Information Technology Fundamentals, Networking and Cybersecurity Operations
Your Career and College Plans: I plan to go to Purdue for computer and information technology.
Supervisor Input:
Supervisor’s Name: Eli Demopoulos
What duties does this student perform? First response support tickets, basic network/hardware/software troubleshooting, documentation of important processes, ordering hardware and assisting in projects.
How is this job preparing this student for the future? It gives the student first-hand experience in a professional work environment. Learning key hard and soft skills and getting a view of what the IT world looks like.
What do you think of the WACC Work-Based Learning program? I think it’s a great program. It’s been changing a lot over the years and it seems like for the better. Students in the Career Center have such an amazing opportunity with this program and it not only benefits the students but the companies it partners with.
Why were you willing to partner with the WACC in this program? I have a personal experience with the Career Center and wished when I went through school that there was an IT company that was available for the WBL program. I saw it as well as a good opportunity for Winona IT to expand our reach and better our relationship with Warsaw Community Schools.

Warsaw Area Career Center Intern: Josh Smith
Parents: Sean and Kendra Smith
Student’s Job Title: Help Desk Tier 1 Technician
What are your job responsibilities: My job responsibilities are to fix any problems that clients are having with their tech, whether it is hardware related or software.
How has this position been helpful to you? This position has been helpful for me because it has helped me see that it is the job I want to go into. This job has so many opportunities and wonderful things that happen. The people are amazing and fun to work with.
What have you learned? I have learned a lot, whether it was replacing networking cables, printer issues, doing a device setup, how to image a computer and many other things.
How is this job preparing you for the future? This job will help me prepare by getting me ready for the real world. It is helping me learn how to interact with co-workers and clients, how to turn something really tech into something the clients will understand easier.
What do you like about this job? I love everything about this job. I look forward to going to work every day because I have a good time and love helping people.
What Career Center classes have you taken in your pathway? Intro to Computer Science, Principles of Computing, Information Technology Fundamentals, Networking and Cybersecurity Operations
Your Career and College Plans: I plan to go to Purdue for computer and information technology.
Supervisor Input:
Supervisor’s Name: Eli Demopoulos
What duties does this student perform? First response support tickets, basic network/hardware/software troubleshooting, documentation of important processes, ordering hardware and assisting in projects.
How is this job preparing this student for the future? It gives the student first-hand experience in a professional work environment. Learning key hard and soft skills and getting a view of what the IT world looks like.
What do you think of the WACC Work-Based Learning program? I think it’s a great program. It’s been changing a lot over the years and it seems like for the better. Students in the Career Center have such an amazing opportunity with this program and it not only benefits the students but the companies it partners with.
Why were you willing to partner with the WACC in this program? I have a personal experience with the Career Center and wished when I went through school that there was an IT company that was available for the WBL program. I saw it as well as a good opportunity for Winona IT to expand our reach and better our relationship with Warsaw Community Schools.

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