Time and time again, people are proving that you don’t necessarily need a college degree to succeed. When it comes to defeating the status quo and the odds, you can take a look at Kenefra Carter’s story.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the single mother of two lost her job. In her quest for another position, Carter found herself searching on LinkedIn where she came across Google certifications. The search engine’s online courses feature cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing & e-commerce, IT support, UX design, and project management. After looking more into things, she decided she wanted to venture into the latter.
Carter says the standard time for someone to complete Google’s project management certification takes around six months. However, she completed it in six weeks. Although there were long nights, the payoff of being able to jumpstart her new career was well worth it, she says. In addition to receiving her certification, the experience backed by Google allowed Carter to put herself out there and tell her story, which led to more opportunities to elevate her and her family’s status.
“I would be in parking lots of my daughter’s swimming lessons or at my son’s football games and having my computer or working from my phone,” Carter shared with AfroTech. “That was really my life for a good six weeks where I was looking at every opportunity, but weaving it into my life. It afforded me what I have now.”
She continued, “I want the flexibility to do my work and be able to show up for the people that I love, especially my children in a way that is rewarding and intentional for us both. And having this did that for me because it opened opportunities where I could then work remotely.”
Located in Atlanta, GA, Carter works as the DEIB Program Manager at The Mom Project — making her the first to lead in that role. Her main tasks are working with employee resource groups (ERGs) and ensuring that the digital talent marketplace’s data-driven initiatives are moving forward and opening doors to educational opportunities for underserved communities.
Before losing her job due to the pandemic, Carter earned around $55,000.
Fast forward, and as of this writing, she makes over $100,000 a year, giving her economic relief. What’s more, her earning potential isn’t capped.
Completing the Google certification not only showed Carter that she had the ability to excel in a new venture but also proved to herself that she has no limitations regardless of her background story.
“We as women, I know there are so many things pulling on us and especially as Black women,” Carter said. “I just want to make sure that we all understand there’s nothing that we can not do. And there is no limit on where you want to go in your career [or] who you want to be. Design that woman, be that woman, build that woman. And whatever resource you need to do that, use it and go as far as you can go.”
She declared, “I feel like there isn’t a ceiling on me anymore. I feel like there’s nothing I can’t accomplish. My goal is to sit in the C-suite. And I believe now more than ever that that is attainable for me.”
