By Phoenix Mertin
Simon Diaz, an intern for AVECC’s IT department at Ozark, enjoys working with people and computers alike.
“I love working with computers. It’s always fun. But in IT, it’s a mix of talking to people and helping them resolve issues too,” he said, “which I think is valuable.”
Simon is a rising senior who is double majoring in software development and theological studies at Harding University.
He has been more immersed in the technical side of IT work at AVECC compared to his previous experiences as a student IT support worker. “I was scraping the top of what IT work has to offer before,” Simon said, “but [at AVECC] it’s on a whole deeper level.” In addition to helping with small Wi-Fi issues and quick fixes from time to time, “I get to see the inner workings of how a modern business uses technology today. It’s pretty cool,” he said.
“I enjoy the closeness of everyone here,” he said. “I shadow people who know everyone’s name and have a personal relationship with them. I’ve gotten to shadow my supervisor, Brian Orrick, the IT coordinator, and see the ins and outs of AVECC, which has been an awesome experience in the real world of technology.”
