Students Gain Big Resume Boost with WISE Microcredentialing Event
by Darryl E. Owens
As Parker Boylan and two other Beacon College students gathered around a 6-foot table in the Beacon Theater, he eyed a batch of old iPhones collected in a clear container.
His simmering enthusiasm reached boil as Chris Johncke passed out boxes of 2D iFlying screwdriver kits to Boylan, Myles Greene, and Issac Gwin.
“I can’t wait to take apart a phone,” Boylan erupted. “I always wanted to see inside a phone skeleton.”
Boylan, 22, of Bradenton, Florida wasn’t just there to peek under the hood of cellphones, laptops, tablets, and other gadgets. The web and digital media major was one of 14 students earning a microcredential toward WISE certification in February through the “Foundation: A Gateway to Technician Certification” program provided by Techtonic SkillCircuits.
Techtonic, a leading IT managed services provider, offers mobile asset repair, disposition (reverse logistics), and device management services through an integrated workforce of neurodivergent certified technicians. It is a division of Jonathan’s Landing Foundation, an Orlando-based nonprofit with a vision to build housing for 500 adults with autism and create 5,000 jobs and meaningful work opportunities.
SkillCircuits are 2.5-hour hands-on events where students gain basic cellphone and tablet repair skills by rotating through four interactive repair stations. These events help students begin their journey toward Wireless Industry Service Excellence (WISE) certification and potentially chart a pathway to a sustainable career in technology. WISE certification sets the industry standard for mobile device repair technicians and retailers, ensuring adherence to safety and best practices.
“Experiential learning is an integral part of every academic program at Beacon, and we’re thrilled to partner with Jonathan’s Landing offering this unique technician certification program for our students,” said Melissa Bradley, director of Beacon’s Center for Career Preparation. “These unique programs allow our students the opportunity to discover hidden strengths and talents, which lead to increased confidence in their abilities to navigate their career paths through practical experience that can lead to high-need employment pipelines.”
2.5 Hours
SkillCircuits are 2.5-hour hands-on event
80 Hours
Beacon College required experiential learning
$4 billion
Cell phone repair industry
1 million used mobile devices
Techtonic Device Drive
With screwdrivers and cellphones in hand, Joancke guided his apprentices through their tasks.
“Let’s grab this phone,” he said. “If you look at the bottom, you’ll see the two screws. You’re going to want to find a screwdriver that fits.”
Boylan and his trio gripped their devices and wobbly tried to budge the screws.
“Here’s a trick: hold the phone (upright) on the table,” Joancke said. “It’ll hold the phone steady.”
That was all Greene needed.
“I got the one screw out,” he said, laying the speck of stainless steel on a small magnetic mat.
And the trio was off.
At another station, students listened as Techtonic’s Lautaro Dominguez explained how to remove the bottom of a laptop to access its delicate circuitry.
Stephen Kjos took it all in, then took up his wedge tool to pry open his Dell laptop. Slowly. “That’s my main problem,” he told Dominguez. “I keep thinking I’m going to break it.”
No sooner had Kjos finished speaking than he was holding two unscathed halves of a laptop.
With the cases separated, Dominguez pressed on. “What’s the first thing we need to do before working on it?”
“Disconnect the battery,” Kjos shot back. Right.
“Alright, so let’s see if we can take out a battery.”
And so it went.
Boylan was thrilled when he learned about the opportunity because he “wanted to get more experience in the tech field and I wanted to repair electronics.”
At first, Boylan struggled with getting the hang of the new concepts, he said, but quickly caught on. “Within an hour, I greatly enjoyed it and felt incredibly accomplished to get my (microcredential),” he said.
Greene too was attracted to the on-campus opportunity to upskill. “I wanted to expand my technical skills and gain a certification that could open up new career opportunities,” said Greene, 20, a web and digital media major from Morganton, North Carolina. “The event seemed like a great hands-on learning experience that aligns with my interests in technology and digital media.”
For Greene, that proved out. Learning to fix gadgets today, he said, can help peers build a working path to new opportunities.
“Certifications like WISE provide a structured way to build confidence and prove your skills,” he said. “For students with learning differences, hands-on training and real-world applications can make learning more accessible and rewarding. I encourage others to take advantage of these opportunities because they can make a big difference in career readiness.”
Discover Your Future Talent Pipeline with Beacon College
Employer engagement takes place across our campus and our community through physical events — like our annual ICAN career fair — and on digital platforms with online training sessions, employer info sessions, and Handshake appointments. Connect with our Jones Center for Career Preparation today to learn about how you can connect with Beacon College students ready to launch their careers!
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