The call didn’t feel real at first.
After everything it took just to get to that point, hearing that I had been accepted into Broadcom’s Vitality Residency Program wasn’t just good news, it was validation of persistence through uncertainty.
Because my path into technology wasn’t a straight line. And my path into the mainframe was even less so.
How Programming Challenges Sparked Curiosity
Like many people in tech, my interest began early. In high school, I was introduced to programming, and it immediately clicked. Not because it was easy, but because it wasn’t. Every assignment felt like a problem waiting to be solved, and I enjoyed the process of figuring it out.
That curiosity carried into college, where I pursued Computer Science. Over time, what started as interest became something more intentional. I began to understand not just how code works, but why it matters. The ability to build something from nothing, solve real problems, create impact really stuck with me.
From Building Code, to Teaching Code
After graduating, I stepped into a software development role. It was the first time everything I had learned became tangible. Writing production code, debugging issues, working with a team, all felt like forward momentum.
Then something unexpected happened. I was offered a part-time role teaching programming.
That experience changed how I think about technology.
Teaching forced me to slow down and truly understand what I knew. Explaining complex ideas simply is harder than writing the code itself. It sharpened my communication, strengthened my fundamentals, and gave me a new appreciation for mentorship. It also taught me how important structured learning environments are, something I would later value even more.
Resetting My IT Career
Then came the reset.
I moved to the United States with the goal of continuing my career in IT. What I didn’t fully anticipate was how much of a restart that would require. New market, no network, and a level of competition that made it difficult to get traction.
For a while, progress felt stalled.
I kept learning, kept applying, kept adjusting. Eventually, I found LaunchCode, which introduced me to something I hadn’t seriously considered before: mainframe technology.
The Miss That Mattered
I applied to the Vitality Residency Program once and didn’t get in. That could have been the end of the story.
At that point, I had already turned down other opportunities because I was focused on building a long-term path in technology. There was real pressure to pivot, to choose something more immediate and stable.
But I applied again because I wasn’t ready to give up on the direction I believed in.
And when I was accepted the second time around, I didn’t come in as an expert. I came in curious and prepared to learn.
Entering the Mainframe World
Before the program started, I spent time in IBM Z Xplore just getting familiar with the environment. Once the program began, the pace accelerated quickly.
In the first several weeks, I was introduced to the core of mainframe systems programming: z/OS, ISPF, JCL, SDSF, REXX, and COBOL. To me, these tools represented a different way of thinking about computing. Stability, scale, and precision mattered in a way that felt distinct from other environments I had worked in.
From there, I trained on Broadcom’s Top Secret security product, adding another layer of depth to what I was learning.
And then came the transition from training to doing.
From Learning to Contributing
After six months, I moved into my residency as a systems programmer, and that’s where everything connected.
The systems I work on now aren’t theoretical. They support real business operations at scale. The margin for error is smaller, but the impact is larger. Every task requires attention, discipline, and continuous learning.
What stood out to me most wasn’t just the technology. It was the structure around it. The program didn’t just teach tools; it built confidence through repetition, mentorship, and real-world application.
That combination is what made the difference.
What This Path Actually Taught Me
There’s a common idea that success is about momentum. That once things start moving, they keep moving. That wasn’t my experience.
Throughout my IT journey, progress came in phases. Periods of growth, followed by setbacks. Moments of clarity, followed by doubt. The difference wasn’t avoiding those cycles, it was continuing through them.
Rejection wasn’t the opposite of progress. In my case, it was part of it.
Finding a Sustainable Career Direction
Choosing this path, especially the second time, required patience. It required saying no to short-term options in favor of something less certain but more aligned with where I wanted to go.
The Vitality Residency Program didn’t just give me a role. It gave me a direction that feels sustainable.
And the mainframe–something I hadn’t initially planned for–turned out to be exactly the kind of environment where I could grow long-term.
Following the Path of Persistence
If there’s one thing I would pass on, it’s this:
The path doesn’t need to be obvious to be the right one. Sometimes the opportunities that stick are the ones you almost walked away from. Believe in yourself, even when the path seems unclear, because persistence will always open doors that talent alone cannot.