Kamillya Little
Ricoh USA, Inc.
Atlanta, GA USA
"Everybody is so quick to look at the traditional way of doing things, but there’s always a way around. You’ve got to get creative."
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Kamillya's work combines: Technology, Business, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Obtain your technical certifications first and start networking with as many people as you can. Sometimes it's about knowing the right people! I did not have a desirable resume, but when I positioned myself with the right people, more opportunities came my way.
Here's the path I took:
GED
Certification
Scrum Master
Scrum Alliance
Certification
Surgical Technology/Technologist
American Center for Technical Arts & Sciences
Certification
General Studies
Chattahoochee Technical College
Certification
CompTIA A+, Network+
Per Scholas
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where I witnessed a lot of violence at home and around my neighborhood.
2.
I got married and traveled a lot as a military spouse—and even had both of my children in different countries overseas—before finally settling down in Atlanta, Georgia.
3.
When my marriage ended, I decided to try and reinvent myself outside of just a mom and wife by going to school and finding a good career.
4.
I worked various jobs in customer service as I tried to figure out my next steps.
5.
I eventually found Per Scholas, which not only gave me an education but also paid for my certifications and provided workforce training and assistance.
6.
Per Scholas had a relationship with Ricoh USA, Inc., an imaging and electronics company, which provided us with opportunities to network and tour the company.
7.
After graduating from Per Scholas with my CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, I got a job at Ricoh as a production support specialist.
8.
My next goal is to get my Security+ certification to be able to help companies stay safe and secure while also making myself a more desirable asset!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
Women don't belong in IT.
How I responded:
The tech world is pretty male-dominated, so it can be difficult coming into this space as a woman. To get over my own doubts, I told myself that I am just as deserving of this opportunity as any man in this field! I let my personality shine through at work and really tried to get to know my fellow coworkers so that they'd see me as their equal.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was fortunate to be accepted into a not-for-profit technical school and my tuition was paid for. In addition, I reached out to friends for help with gas, lunch, parking fees, and miscellaneous school costs.
I was told I had ADD and learning a new subject was a challenge for me, but I wasn't going to let that defeat me. I studied harder, went to study groups, reached out to other students for help, and used every resource I could get my hands on.
I dealt with depression and it got to the point when I realized I needed to speak to a doctor about it. Everyone goes through struggles, but you can't let life beat you up. It's up to you to take control.