Tierra Watson

Tierra Watson admits she didn’t know what she wanted to do professionally when she graduated from Jacksonville’s Wolfson High School in 2019.

“All of my friends knew what college they were attending and what they wanted to study, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she said. “It was a discouraging time for me.”

Watson, a Production Operations Specialist at Bank of America, found her passion for financial technology (fintech) and her career path through the Year Up program at Florida State College of Jacksonville (FSCJ). In her role, Watson works closely with users and other tech teams to identify, troubleshoot and resolve technology service issues.

Year Up is a one-year, workforce development training program that provides urban young adults, ages 18-29, with a combination of technical and professional skills as they work toward an internship and career path in business or technology. In Jacksonville, the program serves approximately 160 students per year. The program is designed to give students an opportunity they may not otherwise have.

Watson learned of the Year Up program while attending high school but didn’t apply until a year later. She joined the program but initially did not stick with it. After leaving Year Up and not finding a satisfying job, Watson re-enrolled in the program and discovered an interesting path career in technology despite facing many untimely personal difficulties.

“The program was extremely challenging for me to complete, but I promised myself to persevere,” Watson said.

The Year Up program is available to those who have a high school diploma or GED and have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. The first six months of the intensive job training program involve classroom learning at FSCJ, along with weekly coaching and mentoring. Students also learn writing, networking and professional behavior skills while in the classroom portion of the Year Up program.

The second half of the program places students in a full-time internship with a local corporation, such as Bank of America, for six months. Students can receive a stipend of up to $2,100 after signing a contract, as well as an opportunity to receive entry-level career offers upon completion of the program. Watson was able to transition her internship into a full-time position at Bank of America.

“I put in a lot of hard work and my manager recognized my drive to be hired,” Watson said. “By networking and staying motivated during the internship, I was able to demonstrate why they should have me on their team.”

Year Up students earn up to 30 college-credit hours in one year at FSCJ. Watson is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in information technology and a bachelor’s degree in computer science at FSCJ.

The Year Up program prepares students for the workforce and all the expectations that occur on the job. Watson says the program has been life-changing, and highly recommends interested students apply and approach the internship as an opportunity to launch their future career.

“I credit my success to Year Up,” said Watson. “The program taught me to advocate for myself and provided me with everything I needed to succeed.”