Careers in the technology field were far from the minds of Olga Meade and Luis Rodriguez when they arrived in Western New York in the mid-2010s.
While Olga, from Russia, had trouble finding a role in her background of graphic design and architecture, and Luis, from Harlem, bounced around a couple retail jobs, they didn’t have to look hard to recognize the growing career opportunities within Buffalo’s tech ecosystem.
So they turned to the adult workforce training programs at Buffalo Center for Arts & Technology (BCAT) and Trocaire College, which have set them on successful paths for mid-career transitions. 
Olga started further developing her tech skills at Trocaire, first with a fundamental course before taking a more in-depth program about hardware and software. After thriving in both programs, she was asked if she’d be interested in teaching at the school as an adjunct instructor.
“It was an opportunity I was not even dreaming about,” Olga says. “I think it’s very cool to help other people to go through what I went through, and it helps me to understand even better what I was studying as well.”
Olga is also currently enrolled in the networking program at BCAT, where she’s continuing to use her analytical thinking and creativity skills to expand her IT knowledge.
“I like to learn this stuff and want to land a job in IT,” she says. “Networking is in high demand right now, and I would love to work in cyber security. My goal is to get a government job in the future as an IT associate.”
For Luis, he says “the hardest part was walking through the door” at BCAT.
But that first day, he met with a program coordinator whose initial recommendation included an introductory IT course just to discover the career path. He enjoyed it so much that he moved on to Security+, which was led by a cyber security expert who works in industry.
“He was tremendous,” Luis says. “He made this seem a lot more real and something I could see myself in. He was incredibly encouraging as well.”
In February 2024, Luis joined Odoo as a functional support analyst & banking synchronization specialist. He deals with businesses all over the world – from the U.S. to Taiwan, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia – helping them solve issues with their database systems.
“I’m working with sensitive financial info – a field I never thought I would enjoy whatsoever,” he says. “It’s a world different from what I’m used to.”
Luis also recently met with his supervisor, who told him he’s already being looked at for a team lead position, which he thinks will suit his strengths as a communicator.
“One of the things I’m happy with at Odoo is they encourage creative problem solving,” he says. “It feels like I’m getting paid to learn, and I appreciate that. Odoo is a place that can really boost you to wherever you want to go.”
