Brady Andersen has always had an interest in technology.
From video games to computers, he and his older brother often bonded over their shared interest. So when Andersen’s brother attended Mitchell Technical College, Andersen decided to follow in his footsteps. He’s never regretted it.
“I would do the same thing again,” says Andersen, a Mitchell native. “Mitchell Tech really got me a head start on life.”
Andersen graduated from the Mitchell Tech Wi-Fi Broadband Technologies program in 2022. Like his brother, he was awarded the Build Dakota Scholarship, which covered all of his expenses.
“It’s crazy, you don’t think much about it until I hear my friends talking about paying off their school loans,” he says. “I don’t have any.”
He says his experiences at Mitchell Tech felt personal, with instructors going the extra mile to help students. And the hands-on approach to teaching gives students the experience and confidence that they need to launch a career in the telecom industry, he says.
Following graduation, Andersen joined SDN Communications as a Voice Service Technician. In his position, Andersen helps with any voice service issues, from troubleshooting failing calls to setting up and disconnecting toll free and hosted numbers. The move into his job following graduation was smooth, which he credits to his training at Mitchell Tech.
At SDN and in most telecom careers, people can expect comfortable salaries and plenty of opportunities, Andersen says.
“One of the things I know is that in our industry, there’s always a need,” he says. “It’s an ever-changing industry … There’s always going to be room for development and movement.”
While his work is in voice services, Andersen reminds potential students that the industry is broad, with a wide range of opportunities. Telecom offers jobs in every aspect, from office positions to those jobs that take people into the field. “There’s a ton of variety so you have a pretty good pick of a position that fits what you want to do.”
As for his education with Mitchell Tech, Andersen says he knows that it set him up for success. With a 100% job placement rate in his program, it was an investment that’s hard to beat, he says.
