New EOC Tech Instructor Leads the way for IT Students
Jonathan Eades, a former Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center student turned Instructor, is only a few months into his first year teaching Computer Networking and Repair at EOC Tech. Although new to the profession, he is no stranger towhat solid guidance and encouragement can do for the learning environment of his students. With that mindset in place, he looks forward to a year of growth for both he and his students this school year.
Eades began his education at EOC Tech as a junior high school student in the Web Design program. After he completed his junior year, he began an internship at EOC Tech.
“The summer after my junior year, I worked at EOC Tech as an intern for the I.T. Department,” Eades said. “During the internship, I discovered that the I.T. field was something that I really enjoyed, so at the beginning of my senior year, I switched over to the Computer Networking and Repair program.”
During his senior year, Eades attended Rose State for concurrent enrollment, took Computer Networking and Repair classes at EOC Tech, and continued his I.T. Internship.
“During my internship, I was responsible for running around campus, fixing everyone’s computers and setting up printers, ” Eades said. “But it also came with a lot of extra duties like making banners for the classrooms. I was just a helping hand for all the classrooms and assisted in any way I could.”
Eades said he worked as an Intern for about two years before he began his current position as an Instructor for the Tech Center.
“The idea was presented to me by a coworker that I should consider the teaching position,” he said. “It came as a surprise to me that I was considering it, but in the back of my mind I had always had the idea that I could teach.”
The realization that he could encourage students originated from one of his elementary teachers, someone who significantly influenced his education and mindset.
“My 5th grade teacher, Brad Moore, changed my view of the world when I was young. He helped me realize that maybe I could have that same impact and be the same source of encouragement for others.”
Because of his experience at EOC Tech, both as a student and an intern, Eades is familiar with all that his current students need to focus on to be successful. Eades students will work to earn certifications to help them gain knowledge and credibility for continuing their education and/or entering the workforce.
“Students who are in my program for two years will have the opportunity to receive their ‘A+, Network + and Security +’ Certifications from a company called CompTIA,” he said. “These certifications will allow students to obtain jobs and have the fundamental skills they need to show the workforce that they are qualified and ready to go.”
While certifications and on-the-job training is certainly a primary focus of his classroom, Eades says helping current students build their overall confidence is of utmost importance to him because when confidence grows, challenges are met with eagerness.
“Critical thinking and being someone who’s willing to work out difficult problems is one of the best skills to have,” Eades said. “Because a lot of times, you don’t know what the correct fix is going to be, so being able to think things through and solve problems for other people is a crucial skill.”
One of the reasons Eades said he is able to encourage overall confidence in his students is because he received the same encouragement as a student himself.
“When I began my education in the Web Design program with Instructor Travis Tracy, that was the first time I had ever been in an environment where I felt my success was really up to me,” he said. “Because of him and his guidance, my confidence as a person and as a student just shot up and it was all because of the impact he made on me.”
Even though Eades is the head of a classroom for high school students, his professional life is certainly not void of educational challenges and learning experiences.
“I want to be the most prepared, the most knowledgeable and the most certified – I want to be the best for my students,” he said. “I am constantly seeking new certifications and I’m currently going to Rose State for a Bachelor’s in Cyber Security. I just want my students to know that I can help them properly.”