“The Road to Success is Paved by the Tests in Life”

Hello, my name is Pablo Espinoza, proud husband and father. I am a Laurus College graduate in the Information Technologies and Network Systems Program. I was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico and lived there until my early teen years when our family then moved to California. I continued my schooling in Lynwood, California where I graduated high school. At the end of high school, I began to explore my interest and passion for technology. Seeing how much it impacts our daily lives, I wanted to know all about it and to be good at it. I studied and read all I could. After graduating high school, I started some classes at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California. Right about that time my parents acquired a restaurant. Knowing they would need help, I moved with them up to the Central Coast. At this point, I had no restaurant experience, not as a cook or even to be a busboy. But my stubbornness and determination helped me to excel and to learn all I could, to be the best I could be to help my parents. Of course, during this time I never forgot my first passion — TECHNOLOGY.

After working for my family for a while, I spent some time at different jobs, from restaurants to retail. All of this brought me a paycheck, but never the satisfaction of doing something I was passionate about. My wife had noticed that I wasn’t very happy with my current job and asked me what kind of job would make me happy. I told her working in the IT field. So I decided to head back down a path I had left — SCHOOL. The question was, where? It just so happened I was working across the street from the San Luis Obispo campus when a customer came in. We started talking about Laurus College. He was a student there, in the IT program, and had many good things to say about the classes and instructors. With the support of my wife and family, I enrolled to get my Associate’s Degree in Information Technologies and Network Systems. While at work one day, just like any other day, I was told to rent a trailer to pick up some furniture. It was at this moment that I met a man that would provide me with an opportunity that would help jump start my career.

I met one of the owners of Ultrex Business Systems at the local U-Haul rental facility. After chatting with him for a few minutes, he gave me his card and told me to call him if I wanted to work as an IT Technician. Based on my previous experiences, companies don’t usually hire you if you don’t have a certification or degree, but something unusual happened that day. After speaking with me, Rolf got back to the office and just happened to receive a call from Greg Gardner of Career Services. The two talked about me and that same Saturday I got an offer letter. This event marked the beginning for me, as a professional in the line of work I had long hoped to be in.

After getting the job at Ultrex and having completed my classes at Laurus College, the big moment had arrived — GRADUATION. It was in this moment that I understood why I had worked so hard and sacrificed so much. I had made it! Life tests us in many ways. It will always throw us curve balls, but it is up to us how to we react to them. Being a student at Laurus and an employee for Ultrex has changed my life. It has opened many opportunities for me, specifically the opportunity to share my story with you. It has been my greatest honor and privilege to study at this amazing school. Thank you to the teachers, staff and peers that were there every step of the way. I have accomplished a milestone in my life and begun a journey I hope to be on for a long time.