McKenzie, Tenn.–The Information Technology Systems Management (ITSM) Program at TCAT McKenzie thanks Netgear Inc. and Sherrill Belew, owner of Area Wide Communications, for their very generous donations to its program.
Belew connected TCAT McKenzie ITSM Instructor Jon McKinney, with his sales rep at Netgear, Rose Bell. After talking with Bell and one of Netgear Inc. network engineers, Keith Nielsen, they sent TCAT new hardware to work with.
McKinney said, “The ITSM class at TCAT McKenzie is set up to train adult students in the field of Information Technology. We start off with the very basics of computer repair, move into networking, copper and fiber optic cabling, VoIP phones/telephony, information security, and finally end with server maintenance. We have over one hundred hands on skills tests that teach the students using real world hardware in real world scenarios. We believe that having the theoretical knowledge is only part of the equation, the practical application of that knowledge is paramount in being a valuable technician in the information technology field.”
TCAT McKenzie ITSM Program received the following from Netgear Inc. a large box of Netgear hardware; one M4250-10G2XF-PoE+ switch, one ProSafe GS728TP switch, one ProSafe S3300-28X-PoE+ switch, two ProSafe WAC510 access points, and one ProSafe WAC540 access point. Our students are extremely excited to have more enterprise equipment to train with.
Areawide Communications in Medina, TN, donated several VoIP phones as well. Owner, Sherrill Belew, made the generous donation to the class after learning the VoIP/Telephony training equipment we use is set up for Avaya phones only. Areawide has hired several of the ITSM graduates over the years.
Belew felt that it would be a win win situation being Area Wide Communications plans to hire more TCAT McKenzie graduates in the future and they would have experience with the hardware their company uses and supports.
For more information about the programs offered at TCAT McKenzie, call 731-352-5364. New classes begin May 3rd, 2021.
Pictured are students, instructor, and assistant instructor with Netgear equipment.
Kneeling are, from left, Trevor Chandler from McKenzie and Kenneth Knott from Milan.
Standing are ITSM Assistant Instructor, Richard Hendrix from Huntingdon, John Oliva from Greenfield, Dyllan Melson from Huntingdon, William Storey from South Fulton, Timothy Fann from McKenzie, Joshua Sills from Dresden, ITSM Instructor, Jon McKinney from Atwood, Peter Moran from Martin, Roy Wainscott from Martin, Wyatt Osborn from Huntingdon, Ethan Lindsey from Huntingdon, Dawson Marlin from Huntingdon, and Anna Spring from McKenzie.