MEET A GRADUATE
About the Program
William Paterson University School of Continuing Education and Professional Education worked with North Jersey Partners, a coalition of Workforce Development Boards, to offer Camp4’s Salesforce Certified Administrator Program with 21 students enrolled in the first cohort. Those who pass the program receive a certificate of completion from William Paterson University.
We sat down with a graduate, who is now a Salesforce Certified Administrator, working as a Salesforce Consultant, and preparing for their next certification exam, to hear more about their Camp4 experience.
What is your professional background?
My entire family is involved in the finance industry, and I had followed suit. For a number of years, I had a role in the metals industry which gave me experience in many different areas, primarily billing, operations, and administration.
At some point, I knew I needed a change but figuring out my next step was a challenge. I wanted to combine my degree, experience, and personal interests but I didn’t know where to begin. The pandemic, of course, made it even more difficult to explore my options. After searching online and speaking with a career counselor, I decided to explore technical training programs. A few weeks into the process my counselor called me to suggest the Camp4 Salesforce program and it was exactly what I was looking for. From day one, I was excited and ready to start!
What was your familiarity with Salesforce before starting Camp4?
Personally, I had never used Salesforce before Camp4. I had seen demos of Salesforce when my prior company was considering a new CRM and many of my family and friends had mentioned that they used it at their companies.
What did you enjoy most about the Camp4 program?
The cohort was small enough that we had the opportunity to learn from each other. I was also lucky to find a study partner early on. We had daily hands-on study sessions and became good friends.
Everyone from Camp4 cares and wants each of us to be successful. They introduced us weekly to many Salesforce contacts at the fireside chats and during the consulting sessions. Hearing different perspectives and career paths is always helpful. I appreciated all of the opportunities to get to know people who were directly working with Salesforce on a daily basis.
What was your experience preparing for the Salesforce Administrator Certification exam?
Preparing for the certification exam was quite a process! After class each day, I would try to replicate in the system what John had taught us. My confidence started to grow, and I could see that I was gaining a valuable body of knowledge. I realized that I would be able to apply this knowledge to a new career, which kept me moving forward. My study partner and I spent countless hours reviewing the many sample questions online. The program's periodic quizzes also helped me better analyze the multiple-choice questions. Camp4 definitely prepared me for the challenge and I am happy to report that I passed the exam.
What's it like being part of the Camp4 network?
Everyone at Camp4 was extremely helpful and supportive throughout the process, and they have continued to offer their support even after we have finished the course. To name just a few examples:
Dan Osburne was the first person I met from Camp4. He truly wanted to help each of us find our way into a great career. He regularly checked in with me and ultimately connected me with my current job.
John Craven teaches in a very practical and clear way. He was generous with his time to ensure that each of us felt comfortable working with Salesforce. I truly felt prepared to take my certification exam.
Caryn Fried has many years of experience in human resources and she went above and beyond to help me choose target companies. Caryn even helped me prepare for my interviews.
Glen Stoffel shared his own professional story with all of us at a fireside chat. I was able to have a private session with Glen, which helped me focus on creating a personal niche in the Salesforce ecosystem.
What would you tell someone who is hesitant to join Camp4?
Camp4 was more than a certification preparation program. We learned more in a short time than we ever imagined, and it prepared us not only for the exam but also to take bold new steps in our careers.
I am so grateful to have had this opportunity!
Interested in making a career shift yourself, or offering Salesforce training for your team?
