July 8, 2025 It’s tempting to take a job right out of high school, especially when the money is good. But Armando Melendez will tell you that a career is more important than a job. Armando graduated in 2021 and attended Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) for one year. He planned to study construction management, following somewhat in the footsteps of his father, who was a plumber. Unfortunately, that choice didn’t fit his skills or interests. “I started taking physics as part of my general education courses and I was not enjoying it,” Melendez said. “I lost my motivation and stopped attending class. Eventually I dropped out of school.” Armando found a job rebuilding transmissions for heavy duty trucks but that wasn’t really the answer either. “I was making good money but I couldn’t see a future there,” Melendez said. “I knew I was capable of doing more. I just didn’t know what or how.” Two things helped sharpen his focus and create a better plan for the future. “My father died, and that made me the head of the family,” Melendez said. “I realized I needed to put my big boy pants on and make a plan. I met a girl who worked at the Hispanic Center.     Her job was to help people get into college, and she offered to assist me if I wanted to go back.” She suggested that Armando consider the Leslie E. Tassell MTEC, and Armando liked the idea of studying to become a Computer Support Technician. That turned out to be harder than it sounded. Armando learned that making up for his earlier choices was going to take work. “Since I had dropped out, I wasn’t automatically accepted back at GRCC,” Melendez said. “I had to show them that I was serious about school. I had to take assessments and pass them. There were a lot of barriers and some nervous moments. But finally, I was able to start my program on January 27.” That wasn’t the end of his challenges. “The financial side of things became difficult,” Melendez said. “I knew I had to devote 100% of myself to school this time around. But with my dad gone, my family also needed financial support. So after five weeks of school, I went to a job fair and explored internships.” Armando secured an internship at Dewys Metal Solutions, and he says he was a bit stunned by his success. “I was competing against people who had a lot more experience than I did,”Melendez said. “The education I got in just five weeks at GRCC, plus the homework I did learning how to present myself, paid off. I got the job!” For Armando, the online program at GRCC has been more rewarding than he expected it to be. “Professor Ingram is great,” Melendez said. “I’m a hands-on learner and he does an amazing job of making an online course engaging and interactive. The information is clear. Best of all, I’m learning how to problem solve. Professor Ingram is teaching me the skills to succeed.” Now Armando is pushing hard to finish his Computer Support Technician Certificate, along with CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications. It’s not easy. He attends class online in the morning and then works in the afternoon. He would love to continue working at Dewys, but says that he will have the knowledge he needs to pursue whatever career opportunities open up to him. So what has Armando learned from his experiences? “I’ve learned that it’s never too late to come back and do something for yourself,” Melendez said. "I’ve figured out how to stay focused, be more responsible and take things seriously, not just go through the motions. I also learned that asking for help isn’t a bad thing. I used to think I had to figure everything out on my own. Now I know it’s okay to lean on people when you need to do so. Going back to school wasn’t about undoing the past. It was about moving forward with a clearer purpose.” His advice to others stems from what he has learned. “Don’t compare yourself to others,” Melendez said. “I’m a first generation college student. It’s more of a struggle for me. I can’t compare myself to other people. They don’t know what I’m going through. I’m proud of the work I’ve done to get to this point. You have to use the resources that are available and be willing to learn.” Armando is also proud of how he has become a role model for his family. “My younger brother wanted to quit school and go to work,” Melendez said. “Now he’s watching me and changing his viewpoint. We’re both working hard at school.” At the end of the day, Armando has one final goal. “I want to make my mom and family proud, and let others know there are opportunities for everyone. You just have to go look for them.”