In the weeks and months following the Covid-19 outbreak, Jason Carter was approaching the end of his schooling and was feeling that “everything was in disarray. I didn’t really know what to do,” said the Mesa Community College Computer Information Systems alumni.
The Phoenix resident had already completed an Associate of Arts degree in 2001 from Paradise Valley Community College and a Certificate of Completion in Web Development in 2019 from Scottsdale Community College.
Then, while attending MCC in 2020 as one of the first students to enroll in the Apple Everyone Can Code class, he was selected for the Pendergast School District Internship program the college offers that could give him real world experience using his app coding skills. While in the three-course “Technopreneur” program, Jason spent much of the time assisting MCC IT staff with the transition to the new school year including inspection of staff and student equipment, software updates, teacher laptop updates, repairing faulty equipment, and making other miscellaneous repairs and updates in Jamf, an industry-leading Mac management tool for Apple devices.
The internship also offered what could be described as an “app boutique,” a partnership with the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, to connect businesses with student interns to build apps promoting local businesses and providing additional hands-on training for students. One of the first apps Jason helped develop was designed to connect middle school students with mental health and crisis prevention services. A local public school system has expressed interest in adopting the app for its use.
“The Technopreneur experience gave me a professional work environment and helped me anticipate what to expect when I start working in information technology,” he explained. “The Apple App development program has provided additional experience that I can use in starting my new technology career.”
Jason went on to earn a Certificate of Completion in iOS App Development in 2022 from MCC.
He remains involved in development of the crisis prevention and Jarrod’s Coffee House apps.
“Eventually I would like to be a developer for software applications or the web,” he said. “I'm also interested in establishing a web development/digital marketing business.”