Sergio Alvarado

Sergio Alvarado was so committed to furthering his education at Daley College, he moved from Kansas to take courses there.

The Chicago native has worked in the trades since 2011. He got his start in heating and air conditioning before transitioning to the industrial manufacturing industry, where he continues to work today.

“I think the trades are very important,” Sergio said. “There’s so much you can learn, and the earning potential is pretty big.”

Sergio recognizes that the manufacturing field is constantly changing. Technology is now a huge part of the industry, and to be successful, one has to be a lifelong learner.

While living in Kansas, Sergio began researching programs where he could continue his education. During his search, he discovered Daley College’s state-of-the-art Manufacturing Technology and Engineering Center (MTEC). He had no idea he had just found his future school.

The pandemic brought Sergio from Kansas to his hometown of Cicero to take care of his parents. He wanted to do something productive while he was home and remembered Daley’s MTEC. He knew it would be the right place for him.

In 2020, Sergio enrolled in programmable logic controller (PLC) programming classes at Daley, which taught him how to program computers that run machines in factories. Completing this course and adding PLC programming as a new skill helped him earn a promotion at work. Sergio didn’t stop there, either. In 2023, he left his job in Kansas to invest in his education and enrolled in the PLC2 course and robotics class.

Sergio appreciates that he and his fellow classmates train on the same high-tech equipment they’ll use on the job. He also appreciates the knowledge he has gained from his professors, who are industry professionals, and the affordable tuition costs City Colleges offers.

“Technology is changing, and I had to adapt,” he said. “That’s why I go to Daley College. It has the state-of-the-art training that I need to gain new skills.”

Sergio has no plans to stop developing his skillset. He already has three associate degrees and several certificates from Daley. His next step is to transfer to Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale, a school that has a transfer partnership with Daley, where he plans to earn his bachelor’s degree in applied engineering and management. Even after that, Sergio says he will still probably take courses at Daley when he can. He knows he’ll be a student for life in order to keep excelling in his career.

“Daley College is one of the best schools for manufacturing and automation,” he said.

Sergio knew studying at Daley would pay off—and it has. His new credentials have translated into a new job—and soon, a new degree.