Henrique Sertao - WLAC Student Spotlight of the Week

Despite having worked in Information Technology in Brazil for over 10 years, Henrique Sertao has found it challenging to be a competitive candidate for hire in Los Angeles in his field. After being laid off from an IT help desk position, he decided to enroll at West Los Angeles College to earn multiple IT and Cyber Security certifications. 

In addition to the training, Sertao was also pleased to learn that the program provides vouchers for him to take the certification exams. These exams can be $400 per test or more which is a challenge for the husband and father of two young children. The program even provided him with a loaner laptop and he accesses WiFi through the college library.

“Mr. Sertao stands out as an exceptional student, consistently achieving top exam scores and demonstrating a remarkable ability to learn, understand, and master complex material. His dedication and hard work have resulted in straight “A” grades across all computer network and security management-related courses, making him a role model for his peers and a testament to perseverance and academic excellence,” said Prof. Anna Chiang, Computer Science Chair.

Despite the current challenges he is facing, Sertao, who ultimately aspires to earn a Master’s degree in cyber security, is confident that many opportunities await him after his certifications are completed and that the family’s American Dream is still well in sight.