News Article

When it came time to switch careers Jon Reid knew two things; he wanted to stay in his hometown of Corner Brook, and he wanted a career with the opportunity for advancement. Enter College of the North Atlantic’s Software Development program.
 
Jon previously worked as a cook, but his real interest was software development. While it was completely different from what he made a living at, after researching the field he knew the fast-paced, evolving IT industry would give him many options for his future. He enrolled in the then three-year Internet Application Developer (now Software Development) program in 2004.
 
“Researching job futures showed a very strong need for developers and they still do,” Jon said. “The three-year program opened up a lot of options, including working in the United States. I met with the instructors and was impressed by their involvement. I was able to keep my job on a part-time basis and I also had a child in school.”
 
Challenges from constantly improving solutions kept him interested on a daily basis and he describes the knowledgeable instructors as “outstanding”.
 
“They showed strong commitment to the program and they clearly loved the subject matter. They also gave me the opportunity to expand my learning outside of the scope of the courses which helped me in my career,” he said, adding the program prepared him immensely for his career. “It gave me a grounding in the fundamentals that is hard to find the time for when you are working.”
 
Jon completed the program in 2007, but began working as a part-time developer towards the end of his second year for a company that had offered him full-time position upon graduation. Over the past six years he has worked with companies located all over the world with 80 per cent of his employment being been based out of the United States.
 
“I love the work. It's satisfying to build systems that are used in the real world. The best part has to be that it never stagnates. I learn new technologies and skills constantly. I also get to travel. I've worked in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and other cities, and I am a fan of working remotely from home as well at times. In the past week alone, I've had teleconferences with clients in California, Maryland and the Middle East.”
 
His favourite part of the career is the satisfaction he gets from the work itself.
 
“Every job is a learning and networking opportunity. I have worked with amazing people and I keep in touch with many of them. A lot of my work is contract based, which means I'm there to solve a particular problem or to provide support for a specific time frame. This certainly keeps things from getting dull.”
 
For more information about College of the North Atlantic’s Software Development program visit www.cna.nl.ca.
 
-30-
 
Media Contact:
 
Glenda McCarthy
Public Relations Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.6408
glenda.mccarthy@cna.nl.ca