Opening Doors to Brighter Futures

Since the Florida Department of Education launched its Get There initiative in 2020, colleges across the state have worked to raise awareness about Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. These programs combine academic and technical skills with hands-on, real-world experiences so students are able to hit the ground running in a new career. Some of the fastest-growing occupations in Florida only require short-term degrees or certifications, which is why CTE programs are integral to St. Petersburg College’s mission to ensure that students are workforce ready.

Titan alumnus Gabriel Hippo was one such student.

Near the end of 2020, Hippo knew that he would have to make some important decisions about his career. He’d been working in the entertainment industry for two years, running cables for sound and power at big concerts for major performing artists as well as events where political leaders would speak. Unfortunately, the pandemic made such a job unsustainable as events quickly vanished to
slow the spread of COVID-19.

Hippo took the time to really ponder what he wanted to do with his career. Shortly after leaving his job in entertainment, his toddler daughter was diagnosed as autistic and finding a well-paying job to support his family would become even more pressing. He was faced with two options: wait for a job to come along and hope he was hired, or get a degree with certifications and land a position he knew he could succeed in.

Thankfully, Hippo chose option two and decided to enroll at SPC.

“I chose St. Petersburg College because my Nana went there back in the ’80s when it was SPJC, and she had nothing but great things to say about it,” Hippo said.

Opening Doors to Brighter Futures

“After taking my first class with Professor Bill Range, I knew she was right.”

Hippo went on to graduate with his Associate in Science in Networking Technologies in Fall 2023 and received his CompTIA A+ Certification as well, which was fully paid for by SPC. He also completed an internship as a Technical Support Specialist at the Clearwater Campus while still a student, allowing him to learn valuable job skills.

“Over the internship, I was able to learn many things like digital imaging, PC repairs, hardware and software diagnostics, Department of Defense-level data removal, and so much more,” he said. “The leadership I was under at the College was so great that I knew this was the place I belonged.”

After finishing his internship and graduating, Hippo applied for a full-time Technical Support Specialist position at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus and got the job.

“I will be forever grateful for everyone who helped me along this journey,” Hippo said. “I could not have gotten here without the help of SPC.

“I’d like to become an executive director of IT infrastructure one day. Seeing the robust infrastructure we have in place at SPC and how it’s designed, implemented and maintained across all so many different locations really inspires me to work with something on that scale in the future.”