Maria Fernanda Martinez Cardona: Computing Support Grad now Office Support Staff at V.A.C.C.
by Raj Naraynsingh
Maria came to Canada from Colombia in 2020 as an international student in Computing Support at the Verdun Adult and Career Center. She grew up in Santafe de Bogota, the capital city of Colombia and one of the largest in the world with a population of over 7.4 million people.
Bogota is the 3rd highest capital city in the world sitting on the Bogota savanna 2,640 meters above sea level offering a constantly cool, steady climate.
She dreamed of living abroad in Australia, London, or perhaps Canada, learning new languages and making friends from across the globe. In the past, we sometimes had pen-pals and corresponded by letters to learn about new cultures. Today, many young people are embarking on their own adventures to explore the world!
Maria studied accounting in high-school and university. She worked for Price Waterhouse Coopers in Colombia but was still looking for her path.
During the COVID-19 pandemic she worked with a recruitment agency and applied to the Lester B. Pearson School Board in Montreal. She was accepted into the Computing Support and Networks program at the Verdun Adult and Career Centre and began in the fall of 2020.
After completing her studies in Computing Support, Maria did her internship at VACC and is currently working as a temporary replacement office agent at VACC. Asked about what it takes to reach her goals and succeed, Maria says “If you push yourself, you will get through. There is always a light shining if you get past that fear and take a chance.”
Left to right: Ashlea Paxton, Maria, Sharon Gittens & Shauna Adam
According to the Australian research and education firm Navitas, there is a growing interest from international students to study in Canada, leading all English destination markets. This country has also been ranked as the most open, welcoming, safest, and the most stable of the four major English destination markets.
She was always interested in technology and computers on the programming side more than hardware. In fact, she is planning to further her studies one day in the programming of artificial limbs. All the best Maria, and thanks for sharing your story with the school community!
