As Keano Ash sat staring at dozens of wires, buttons, and 3D-printed components, he couldn’t help but feel excited. The capstone project, in which Keano designed and built his own portable gaming system, was the final hurdle to complete the MiraCosta College Engineering Technician Certificate Program.

To Keano though, it felt like the furthest thing from schoolwork. It was fun.

Joked Keano, “If you told me four months ago I would finish top of my class in an engineering program and be on my way to starting a new job in a field that I love, I would have laughed.”

From a young age, Keano was always tinkering. He loved working with his hands and finding out how electronics worked. As he grew older, he continued this passion but found it difficult to transition it from a hobby to a career. With so many types of engineering and little guidance, Keano instead started working as a tow truck operator. While he loved the job, he secretly envisioned a different career.

Then one day his brother told him about a certificate program at MiraCosta College.

“I didn’t want to be someone who lived with regret,” shared Keano. “When I heard about the MiraCosta College Engineering Technician Program, I thought why not give it a try.”

The MiraCosta College Engineering Technician Program is an accelerated, hands-on course that provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to prove competency and begin careers as engineering technicians quickly.

“It wasn’t the traditional type of academic experience I was used to,” said Keano when asked about his first impressions of the program. “I prefer to learn by doing instead of sitting in a lecture, so the fact that we got to experiment with technology and solve problems with our hands was amazing.”

Keano continued, “Professor Kate MacArevey-Colello really pushed us and challenged us to do more. It was because of her support that I was able to succeed.”

Now, just over five months after starting the program, Keano is preparing to take the next step in his career when he starts a job as an electrical technician. Not only that, but his new role will double his annual income and put Keano on a career path that matches his passion.

Thanks to the Engineering Technician Program, Keano’s dreams are no longer just dreams. He is living a reality where passion and profession go hand-in-hand and he is excited for what the future will hold.

“It felt so cliché when other people would talk about taking a risk and chasing your dreams,” noted Keano. “But now that I am in this position, I understand what they mean. MiraCosta College me the confidence and the tools I needed to do what I always imagined for myself.”