IT internship turns into full-time job for RichmondCC Student

Nov. 11, 2020 - Jessica McDuffie of Hamlet always planned on working in the medical field, but her career goal took a turn in a new direction at the beginning of 2020 when she decided to pursue a degree in Cyber Security from Richmond Community College.

“I chose the Cyber Security program after tons and tons of research,” McDuffie said. “I looked online at some fields and came across Cyber Security thinking, ‘Wow, this seems awesome, but this is going to be a big change.’”

Cyber security is the practice of defending computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks and data from malicious attacks. In RichmondCC’s Cyber Security program, students learn about networking technologies, operating systems administration, information policy, intrusion detection, ethical hacking, security administration and industry best practices to protect data communications.

A 2016 graduate of Richmond Senior High School, McDuffie came to RichmondCC the following fall, taking general college education courses and completing the Nursing Assistant I program. She started working as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), but her plan was to get into a Cardiovascular Sonography associate degree program. 

“I had a job at Richmond County Hospice, which was the best CNA job I had. The people there are amazing,” McDuffie said. “But I found that the medical field was not for me.”
That’s when McDuffie decided to tap into her fascination with computers. 

“I am very glad I made this switch. It has helped me realize what I love to do in life. I enjoy learning something new every day when I go into work,” McDuffie said.

While McDuffie has not graduated from the Cyber Security program, she is working as a computer technician at Todd’s Computer Sales & Service in Rockingham. She started with the business as an intern but was hired full-time this past summer. 

RichmondCC Information Technology instructor Lance Barber directed McDuffie to the internship at the end of spring semester.

“When the internship opportunity came up at Todd's Computers, she was the first student I thought of.  I knew she would be perfect. It is no surprise they hired her full-time,” Barber said. “Jessica is a shining example of the kind of student who will succeed in IT.  She is eager to learn and has a goal to get through the IT program as soon as possible to start her career. She is inquisitive in class, hard-working, and clearly loves the subject matter. On top of that, she has the soft skills employers so desperately seek.  

“Simply put, she is the kind of student who makes me proud to have representing RichmondCC,” he added.

As a computer technician, McDuffie helps in the repair and maintenance of laptops, computers and other devices. She does hardware installs, virus removals, screen repairs and other maintenance needs.

“Todd’s Computer Store has been a great place to be employed. My co-workers treat me like I'm part of their family,” McDuffie said. “Todd has been great in working with me, knowing that I'm enrolled in class full-time. He has also taught me things specifically about Cyber Security and incorporated them into the workplace. I've learned a lot being here, and I'm so thankful for that.”

McDuffie will graduate from RichmondCC with an Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security in May 2021. She was a recipient of the Richard Thorpe Memorial Scholarship, which was a big surprise for her.
“I was very grateful to RichmondCC and the Thorpe family to be chosen for this scholarship. It has been a big help considering I pay out of pocket for school,” she said. 

McDuffie has enjoyed her time at RichmondCC and figuring out her career plan.

“The teachers, including Mr. Lance Barber and Mr. Brian Goodman, and the staff at RichmondCC are great,” she said. “They have helped me through so much.”

 McDuffie plans to build on her education and eventually pursue a bachelor’s degree, but in the meantime, she wants to stay focused on her current line of work. 

When McDuffie is not working or studying, she enjoys spending time with her family and three dogs, playing video games, and “dissecting” computers down to their inner parts and seeing how they function. While it’s not quite the medical field she envisioned as a child, she is working in a field where the ultimate goal is to keep a machine healthy and virus free.