Milton Reyes Cornejo is turning hands-on experience into a career in the data center industry. A graduate of NOVA’s Engineering Technology Career Scholars program, Milton now works at Amazon Web Services while continuing to build toward his long-term goals in technology. Through teamwork, technical training, and direct industry connections, the ET Career Scholars program helped prepare him for the fast-paced world of data centers and gave him the confidence to pursue opportunities in one of the region’s fastest-growing industries.
Tell us a little about yourself.
A little about me is that I’m an ET scholar graduate who currently works at Amazon Web Service (AWS) as a Data Center Technician intern who is hoping to eventually land a full-time position and make my way up through a company.
Why did you come to NOVA for your education?
I came to NOVA for my education because they have one of the best if not the only data center education available in all the area with a direct pipeline with recruiters and companies.
Tell us about your experience in the ET Career Scholars program and how it has benefitted you?
The ET career scholars program really helped me out because I was in the same boat with 20 other people and we all went through our hardships together which honestly helped us work as a team to make our way through school together but it also benefited me because we learned how to work in teams and also gave us the technical knowledge that we would use in the field through schooling which is something employers look for in candidates.
Why is Data Center Operations important and why should people pursue it as a career?
Data center operation is important because it shows you what is really needed to run and support the cloud that people use daily. I believe people should pursue it as a career because it’s literally a pipeline if you want to pivot into another team or if you want to grow within the data center industry it’s all possible with one entry position.
What is like working together with many other students in a cohort who are doing the same thing you are?
It’s very nerve racking at first because you don’t know anybody but as time goes by you learn to become familiar with your peers because they are your network but as well as they are people you can rely on while you can do the same for them. Also, it goes a long way to share knowledge between each other because companies do things differently and you can use that knowledge to sometimes improve how your company does things as well.
While still in ET Career Scholars, you secured an (internship or job) at AWS. How did that come about and what was the hiring process like?
I found out about the AWS internship because it was an email send from our professor Amir Mehmood to all data center operations students saying that AWS is accepting a big pool of applicants for their intern roles. The hiring process was your typical personal information and things of the sort but when it came to interviews it was a bit more challenging due to the fact that we are interns and we only have such a limited amount of knowledge at the time but it was more behavioral than technical because they can they technical to anybody but behavioral is where you have to shine due to the fact they want someone who is positive and willing to learn 24/7.
What are the differences between being a student training for a data center operations job and then working in that job at AWS?
As a student everything you learn is industry standard and you learn the basics such as what power is needed how power distribution works and basic electrical fundamentals in the industry however especially AWS you are exposed to so much knowledge that you have to take your time ingesting it all things change constantly and if you’re not staying up to date with those changes you will be left behind but that’s the beauty of it those eager to learn will never be bored every couple months new technology comes out basically outdated the previous years of tech.
Tell us about the importance of interpersonal skills in a tech job, both at NOVA and Digital Realty?
The importance of interpersonal skills in a tech job are significant anybody can be technical with time, but can you relay that knowledge? can you present that knowledge? you have to know how to communicate no matter the situation technical is what gets you hired interpersonal is what levels you up.
What’s the easiest and hardest thing about your career path?
Easiest thing is planning out and knowing where I want to be in the future, but hardest thing is trying to execute it and getting in contact with those who can help me make the change.
Where do you see yourself in 5-years?
I see myself still working at AWS hopefully in a different team, but something related to technology or business within the company.
What is your advice to HS students who are interested but undecided about pursuing ET Career Scholars?
Take the risk it’s always better to try something and decide whether you like it or not than not trying at all maybe it can throw you into a direction you never thought you would be in.
What's your advice for NOVA students who are taking that next step into a tech job?
Learn how to communicate and network those skills will give you the leverage you need to continue onto being successful at the next step.
What do you like to do in your spare time (if you have any)?
I like being active playing sports and going to the gym and in my free time I enjoy trying food doesn’t matter from where as long as it’s good, but mushrooms are where I draw the line.