{"id":1100985,"date":"2026-09-16T15:50:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/?p=1100985"},"modified":"2026-09-17T11:58:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T10:58:17","slug":"how-mohamad-found-his-path-into-it-through-dc-academy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/making-a-difference-sv-se\/na\/how-mohamad-found-his-path-into-it-through-dc-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"How Mohamad Found His Path into IT Through DC Academy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"intro\"><strong>Mohamad Sara, a trained automation technician, fled the war in his home country and was working as a taxi driver in Sweden when he heard about Sandviken Datacenter Academy (DCA). His journey demonstrates how the Datacenter Academy helps people find new paths into the technology industry. Through hands-on training, local partnerships, and support from Microsoft, the nonprofit association meets a growing demand for skills and creates new opportunities in the region.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have so much more energy now. I feel so hopeful. I\u2019m really excited, and I want to learn more,\u201d says Mohamad Sara.<\/p>\n<p>The turning point came during a taxi ride. His passenger, Mia Enayatollah from Microsoft, told him about DCA. The conversation sparked Mohamad\u2019s interest, and he applied shortly afterward.<\/p>\n<p>After passing the entrance test, he joined the fast-track program, where he developed his skills in networking, hardware, and datacenter operations.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mohamad&#039;s Story: How Datacenter Academy Helped Him Find His Path into IT\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/cGf-4oAyAuk?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:%2F%2Fpulse.microsoft.com\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><em>Play the video to hear Mohamad tell his story: \u201cI had a feeling she could help me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>A fast track for untapped IT talent<\/h2>\n<p>For Sam Cole, Head of Sandviken DCA, Mohamad is an example of the kind of talent the association wishes to identify and develop.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone knows someone who is an IT person at heart. They might work in a restaurant, in a store, or as a taxi driver, but they are the person everyone calls when technology isn\u2019t working,\u201d says Sam Cole.<\/p>\n<p>The fast-track program lasts 12 to 14 weeks and is designed for people who already have some IT skills. The entrance test lets them showcase what they know, regardless of their educational background or current occupation. Candidates who pass can build on their existing skills instead of completing the one-year program that Sandviken DCA also offers.<\/p>\n<h2>Hands-on learning in the datacenter lab<\/h2>\n<p>In the lab, participants work with professional-grade hardware, build systems, and solve technical problems together. They practice skills that can be challenging to learn through theoretical study alone, such as troubleshooting hardware and networks. Through this work, they gain practical experience and confidence as they learn alongside others who share their interest in technology.<\/p>\n<p>Sandviken DCA is an independent, nonprofit association that works with municipal adult education providers, high schools, private training providers, and businesses. Partner organizations deliver the training programs. The association provides access to technical equipment and a hands-on lab environment that replicates a real datacenter.<\/p>\n<p>The initiative was launched in partnership with Sandviken Municipality as the datacenter industry began to establish a presence in the area. The aim was to meet businesses\u2019 need for skilled workers and raise local awareness about the training and job opportunities available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the initiative began, over 400 student accounts have been created for DCA\u2019s training programs. Several participants have taken more than one course.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-1101018\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Sandviken-Mohammad-3-1822x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Flygbild \u00f6ver ett verksamhetsomr\u00e5de omgivet av skog och sj\u00f6ar. Flera byggnader, parkeringsytor och en v\u00e4g syns i f\u00f6rgrunden, med ett vidstr\u00e4ckt landskap i bakgrunden.\" width=\"1822\" height=\"1024\" data-contrast=\"\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Sandviken-Mohammad-3-1822x1024.jpg 1822w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Sandviken-Mohammad-3-300x169.jpg 300w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Sandviken-Mohammad-3-768x432.jpg 768w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Sandviken-Mohammad-3-1536x863.jpg 1536w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Sandviken-Mohammad-3-2048x1151.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1822px) 100vw, 1822px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Microsoft\u2019s support makes hands-on training possible<\/h2>\n<p>Microsoft is a key partner of Sandviken DCA, but it runs neither the association nor the training programs. Its support includes funding, donations of datacenter equipment, internship opportunities, and mentoring by Microsoft employees. The hardware donated by Microsoft has made it possible to build the lab environment where participants gain practical experience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout Microsoft playing such a major role in DCA, what we do would not be possible. The hardware donations and the annual funding we receive have been the catalyst that has given us complete flexibility,\u201d says Sam.<\/p>\n<p>According to Sam, the support imposes no conditions on how the organization is run. The association and its education partners shape the course content around participants&#8217; and the region&#8217;s needs. For Microsoft, it is also a way to help ensure that the communities in which the company builds and operates datacenters can benefit from this development.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDatacenter Academy turns datacenter growth into opportunities for the local community\u2014local skills, local jobs, and local prospects for the future,\u201d says Mia Enayatollah, who works in community relations within Microsoft\u2019s Swedish datacenter organization.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How Sandviken Datacenter Academy Opens Doors for the IT-Talent of Tomorrow\" width=\"422\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/fRl5rlRujwY?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:%2F%2Fpulse.microsoft.com\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><em>In the video, Mia Enayatollah and Sam Cole discuss the motivation behind Datacenter Academy: \u201cA desire to create opportunities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>The next step for Mohamad<\/h2>\n<p>According to Sam, Mohamad\u2019s story is special, but far from unique. He sees similar progress in many participants, so he doesn&#8217;t measure success solely in terms of applications, completed training programs, or certificates issued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn one occasion, I asked everyone in the audience to raise their hand if DCA had changed their life. Everyone raised their hand. Changing people\u2019s lives\u2014that is what success means to me,\u201d says Sam.<\/p>\n<p>For Mohamad, the next step is to complete his training and apply for jobs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t wait to finish school and start applying for jobs. And I know it will happen if I don\u2019t give up,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mohamad Sara, a trained automation technician, fled the war in his home country and was working as a taxi driver [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":889,"featured_media":1100987,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2467,1909],"class_list":["post-1100985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-new-working-life-sv-se","category-digital-transformation-sv-se","specials-making-a-difference-sv-se","stories-develop-your-digital-skills-sv-se","stories-how-can-i-prepare-my-organisation-for-the-digital-future-sv-se","stories-technology-for-everyone-sv-se","businessPriorities-modern-workplace-sv-se"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1100985"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/889"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1100985"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1100985\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1101285,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1100985\/revisions\/1101285"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1100987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1100985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/sv-se\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1100985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}