Jaylen
17-year-old Jaylen graduated from City-As-School and went straight into a culinary training program. He is now working toward his ultimate goal of a career in cybersecurity.
At CYD’s after-school College and Career Club at City-As-School, you might find 17-year-old Jaylen – even though he just graduated and attends a postsecondary certificate program. He comes back because he loves the club and the way it helps him relax and unpack his day with the friends he’s become close to.
At Co-op Tech, Jaylen is earning a culinary certificate. “I started as soon as I graduated. My dad was a combat cook in the Navy, so I learned from him.”
Next stop: going to Westchester Community College to study cybersecurity, which has become his career goal. “My passion was always coding and playing games, and I discovered that a lot of people were hacking into game servers. Hopefully if I can learn cybersecurity, I can make a game that doesn’t get broken into by cheaters. Cybersecurity is a high-paying job, and it takes a lot of work.”
His CYD advisor, Tomiko, has been instrumental in his planning: “She set up college tours and took me to college fairs, like one for HBCUs. She helped me narrow down my list to the top 5.”
Jaylen is full of excitement about the future: “I want to do a little bit of everything. I want to do culinary, cybersecurity, business, or maybe become a lawyer.” Meanwhile, Jaylen is saving for college by working part-time at a grocery store. He is also learning to drive and learning Japanese. “I’ve always liked Japanese culture. I have some friends who live in Japan and I practice with them. I’ve been in New York for most of my life, but I want to explore new places.”
