With help and guidance from a friend, Tyler found what appeared to be the perfect opportunity for growth and mobility at an entry-level software job. “I went through an eight-month interview process,” he said. “Each time, I got closer to being chosen, and I was elated when after my final interview I was offered the job.”
However, a few days later the hiring manager called. “She let me know that while I met the minimum qualifications overall and had the skills needed to do the job, my education had not met the minimum standards and they were rescinding the offer,” Tyler said.
The weight of disappointment settled in quickly. He and his wife talked, and they knew they had to make a big change to help Tyler provide for the family. Being LDS, they naturally started researching education options in Utah.
“When I looked at the LDS Business College website,” said Tyler, “I knew very quickly that the school was where I needed to be. I was drawn to the IT program and the new technology skills it would teach me.”
The couple did not know how they would survive, but they sold most of their belongings, packed up, and drove to Utah to start their new life. With no family there to assist them, they knew they would primarily be on their own.
A week before school started, Tyler talked with IT program director Spencer DeGraw. “It was a conversation about my goals and his vision for me within the program,” said Tyler. “It not only confirmed that I was where I needed to be, it also acted as a guide for my tenure as a student at LDSBC.”
As Tyler studied at the college, he faced a challenging path. He worked graveyard shifts while he and his wife shared one car. Megan went through another pregnancy, and his second daughter was born. His family of four—and their dog—lived within 500 square feet.
“My sweet wife was a huge support,” he said. “I could not have gotten through school without her love and understanding. Megan carried me on my hard days when I wanted to give up.”
The IT program was fairly small when Tyler began. As he got to know many students, they spent time in the evenings after class rebuilding and donating computers to a foster children’s organization in Romania. “The extremely fun and rewarding project was finished by new students after I left,” said Tyler.
Currently working for a software company, Tyler is the Executive Sales Manager. “I feel I have a leg up on some colleagues due to my combined sales experience and aptitude with technology,” he said. “I use it to help my customers make better business decisions, and this has made me a trusted advisor among them. My time at LDSBC made a huge difference.”
Tyler’s life has changed for the better with a stable job and the ability to move up within it. He is excited to be a good provider. “My world is my family, and I want to give my wife and little girls the things I never had,” Tyler said. “I want my children to have the chance to fulfill their dreams and ambitions.”