Meet Jorge P.
For Jorge Peraza, taking Pathstream’s Salesforce Business Analyst Certificate was more than just upskilling – it was a ticket to a career transformation. Jorge discovered a new, more fulfilling career path in Salesforce and got promoted after completing his certificate program.
Today, he works as a Senior Desktop Support Representative (Tier II – Application Support) at Sunrun, where he uses his newly acquired Salesforce and business analytics skills daily.
Discovering Pathstream and a new career path
Before enrolling in Pathstream’s program, Jorge was already familiar with Salesforce as an end user in his organization. But he aspired to progress his career and saw technology as a viable path. Sunrun’s generous education benefit introduced him to Pathstream’s certificate programs.
“My employer offers education benefits, which cover the costs of certificate programs and degrees. Sunrun covered the costs of my certificate. I was already working in Salesforce as an end user, and it couldn’t hurt my job to take this certificate and learn more about the backend of the CRM platform.”
Initially, he saw the program as a way to build on his existing skills. However, he quickly found himself excited to dive deep into the world of Salesforce-specific after the first course. He saw a future in this field.
“As I worked through the other modules and courses, it became clear that Salesforce was the right fit for me. I wanted to be working on the backend of it,” he said.
The Pathstream learning experience
Jorge appreciated the layout of Pathstream’s Salesforce Business Analyst Certificate. He valued the flexibility to revisit lessons and content at his convenience. Jorge particularly enjoyed the progressive buildup of the content, which aided his retention of the material.
“I might forget what I’ve read after a week,” Jorge admitted, “but Pathstream used written content videos and labs to help me retain the information. Many lessons included written content supplemented by a video to reiterate the information,” Jorge explained. “Then, that information is revisited during the hands-on portion, and you apply your new skills in a business scenario. This type of teaching made the knowledge stick.”
Project-based learning left Jorge well-prepared for his role, even in the face of unexpected opportunities. When a position opened in his company’s IT department, he applied on a whim, at the most expecting a valuable networking opportunity to come out of it.
But as the interview unfolded, he realized that Pathstream had prepared him well. He recalls, “I felt much more confident going into the interview. Thanks to Pathstream’s Salesforce Business Analyst Certificate, I could confidently answer Salesforce-specific questions and felt more capable of fulfilling the responsibilities associated with this role.”
Promoting career growth with Pathstream
Jorge received a promotion following the course, attributing his new role partly to the Pathstream program. “The course was definitely a catalyst and the reason why I was able to transition to this new role at Sunrun,” he says, acknowledging that the certificate, combined with his existing operational knowledge, impressed the hiring manager.
Now, Jorge’s daily tasks heavily revolve around solving issues in Salesforce. He works closely with administrators and uses his business analyst skills to manage data, helping to keep operations flowing smoothly.
“My long-term goal is to move out of the support side of it and into more of the developer side with the company.”
The Power of education benefits
Looking back, Jorge emphasizes the value of education benefits. “I didn’t have the resources to go to college. The fact that I could utilize that benefit was the only reason I could make this career change,” he reflects.
For Jorge, the company’s willingness to invest in their employees speaks volumes, demonstrating a genuine interest in their growth and well-being.
Jorge advises those considering a similar path: “If you’re interested, and it is something that you want to pursue, try to connect with people doing the same job or similar jobs to learn more about what a day in the life is like. I did that, and it encouraged me to enroll in the certificate.”
Through Pathstream’s Salesforce Business Analyst Certificate, Jorge transformed from an end-user to an application support representative. Professional development plays a powerful role in career advancement. Check out our programs if you want to level up in your career.
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