Learning to Earning: From Fish Farming to a Google Data Center
Last updated: September 2026
This is the second story in our Learning to Earning series, where our team interviews CareerCircle members who built new skills and landed new roles. Each story is unique, and while all outcomes are different, these conversations give insight into how some of our members succeeded and provide ideas for how other members can get the most out of our platform.
Chidebe Mbarie moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2025. His last job back home was running a fish farm. In September he joined Per Scholas, where he was introduced to Google Career Certificates. He passed both CompTIA A+ exams that December on his first attempt, finished the program in January, and kept studying while he looked for work. Today he is a Level 2 data center technician at Google.
This is his story, in his words.
*Answers in this interview have been edited for clarity and readability.
Before CareerCircle
What kind of work were you doing before you moved to the United States?
"Most of my job experiences were in Nigeria, because I moved to the United States last year. The last job I did was fish farming. Even though during that time I was a fish farmer, I always loved tech stuff, so I would use Microsoft Office to make some work easier for me and for other workers. Whenever I wasn't there, the other two staff members were still able to use what I created."
What was your job search like before you had a certificate?
"Saying my job search was difficult back then would be an understatement. It was nearly impossible for me to get a job. This is not to look down on certain jobs, but I applied for warehouse roles, including supervisor positions, and they told me they couldn't see that I had any computer experience. It really impacted me."
How were you feeling when you started training for a career in IT?
"I was nervous and quite unsure whether I was going to understand it, because I didn't really have IT experience before then. The basic knowledge I had was self-taught, from small at-home troubleshooting. The Google Career Certificate was my first real exposure to the field."
What He Did to Grow
Which certifications did you earn?
"I joined Per Scholas in September, and that was where I got introduced to Google Career Certificates. I took my CompTIA A+ exams, core one and core two, by December 19th of that same year, and I passed on the first try with flying colors. Through Google Career Certificates I also studied AI fundamentals, and a UX and UI certificate."
What was the training like compared to teaching yourself?
"The way they taught throughout the training was something I had never experienced before. Until then, I had always just read on my own and watched videos on YouTube. This was so detailed. It was a deep dive into the OSI model, Linux commands, and the core functions of components I thought only had basic functions."
Are you planning to keep learning?
"Yes, definitely. I'm still planning to go back and take more courses."
Using the CareerCircle Platform
What was your experience on the CareerCircle platform?
"It was very good. It gave me the opportunity to update my resume, and it was hassle-free to update my profile and make it more attractive to prospective employers. There were also always a lot of workshops and online webinars I could attend. My schedule meant I missed most of them, because I was busy studying, but I enjoyed the few I made it to."
Did you work with a CareerCircle recruiter along the way?
"No. I found out much later that I could talk to someone, but I didn't know at the time."
Getting the Job
Did anything change once the certificate and the A+ were on your resume?
"After I completed my career certificate program and passed my A+ exam, I started getting interviews. Of course, it didn't mean the job offers just started coming, but at least I was getting the opportunity to interview, and I loved that. Some of them I had to turn down, because the distance was too far, or we couldn't agree on pay."
How did the job at Google come about?
"I applied to Google several times, through CareerCircle and through Google directly.. I just kept applying to different locations, but largely through CareerCircle.
In the end, the height of it was when Google called. It started with an initial phone screen, then three different interviews, then the fit call. It was unbelievable, because I never thought I could be interviewing with Google in such a short period of time."
When did it start to feel real?
"Not until I got the fit call. It wasn't like an interview, it was just a chat with the hiring manager, and he was so nice, so kind, so humble. We ended up talking about my experience at Per Scholas and with the Google Career Certificate. That's when I knew this whole thing was going to be real. And here we are today."
After CareerCircle
What does your job involve day to day?
"The team is called Data Center Operations, and I'm a data center technician. My role is to ensure uptime of the data center. That includes maintaining the hardware, troubleshooting both hardware and software issues that come up, and maintaining the processes and platforms that are running, so there are no interruptions or disruptions in the operations of the data center. It's a pretty interesting role, because every day you get to do different things and work on different machines."
What did the offer mean for you financially?
"The offer was a huge increase. For a beginner, it was unbelievable. I had been taught to feel free to negotiate wages and benefits, but when the offer letter came, to be honest, I didn't see any need to negotiate, because everything had been taken into consideration. All the benefits, the bonus, the relocation allowance, everything was huge and good. I was very happy. I signed the offer letter immediately after I finished reading it."
What would you say to someone in the position you were in before?
"Fear is a dream killer. The only thing that can prevent you from achieving your dream is your mind. You have to train your mind to believe that it is possible. If it could happen to me, someone from Nigeria who didn't have much exposure to computers while I was in school, if I could come all this way and become a Google employee, it means you can do it too. So keep working, continue to upskill, and continue to work on your mind to believe that what you're doing is possible and very realistic. It will come. It's only a matter of time."
How would you describe CareerCircle?
"It's a must if you're seeking to upskill and succeed in your IT career."
Chidebe came to the United States with no formal IT experience, earned his certifications, and kept applying until the right role found him. If you have certifications and want them in front of employers hiring for the skills you have, start with making your profile. If you're looking to upskill, just like Chidebe, check out our free courses.
