Finding one’s path is often not a straight line, but rather a series of twists, turns and challenges. Wilmington University student Bryan Amoroso knows that better than anyone.

“After spending some time at college as a young man, I decided what I was doing for an occupation wasn’t taking me as far as I wanted to go,” Amoroso said.

After a lengthy career in desktop support spanning the education, private and financial sectors, Amoroso decided to go back to school full time at Wilmington University in New Castle, Delaware.

“As a desktop support specialist for many years, I could see parts of my job becoming obsolete,” he said. By specializing in computer and network security, Amoroso expects his chances of landing a well-paying job to be much higher once he graduates with a bachelor’s degree.

“After some research, I decided to take computer and network security classes that I had found at Wilmington University,” he said. “With luck and a degree from an accredited university, I hope to land a good, well-paying job in my home state of Delaware.”

Amoroso soon began working with College of Online and Experiential Learning Specialist Vin Favoroso to customize his path to a degree. Amoroso discovered that he could take courses that fit around his busy lifestyle thanks to Wilmington’s flexible course scheduling. The school offers courses at night, on weekends and even 100 percent online so students don’t have to put their careers on hold while earning a degree.

Amoroso soon discovered that Wilmington offered more than just flexibility. The university also recognizes the value of CompTIA certifications – and it offers college credit to students who have completed these and other IT certifications.

“Having completed my CompTIA A+ certification in 2000, I was able to skip a course, saving me time and money,” he said.

With the help of the College of Technology and the College of Online and Experiential Learning, Wilmington University has evaluated several CompTIA certifications and aligned them to college credit to help students accelerate their path to a degree. For students not yet certified, the university’s computer and network security program offers a course to help prepare them to take the CompTIA A+ exam. And through the university’s partnership with CompTIA, Wilmington students receive competitive discounts on CompTIA exam fees.

Aside from receiving the great news that he would save time and money thanks to his certification, Amoroso found the individualized student services at Wilmington to be exceptional.

“Working with my advisors and finding the right classes made my second college experience much less overwhelming,” he said.

Coming back to school after 27 years is no easy feat – and students like Amoroso benefit from the one-on-one attention of Wilmington’s dedicated faculty and staff. And thanks to his own hard work, Amoroso made the Dean’s List in spring 2016 – a highlight of his educational journey so far.

Together, CompTIA and Wilmington University are doing their part to help students like Amoroso succeed and thrive in the technology field. The partnership has provided many students with accelerated pathways to earning their college degree – just like Amoroso. And it saves them money. Amoroso estimates he saved at least $1,000 by earning CompTIA A+ and transferring it into his degree program at Wilmington. In the end, saving students time and money is what Wilmington University’s partnership with CompTIA is all about.