{"id":42203,"date":"2020-10-28T08:33:11","date_gmt":"2020-10-28T15:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=42203"},"modified":"2020-10-28T08:33:21","modified_gmt":"2020-10-28T15:33:21","slug":"breaking-accessibility-barriers-and-becoming-a-salesforce-pro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/breaking-accessibility-barriers-and-becoming-a-salesforce-pro\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking Accessibility Barriers and Becoming a Salesforce Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor’s Note: Akasia Perran became legally blind five years ago but didn\u2019t let that hold her back from finding a meaningful career. Here, in her own voice, is how she challenged herself to learn about new opportunities, and why perseverance is important.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After devoting most of my adult life to traditional business roles, I began to feel like a change was needed\u2014the world around me seemed to be moving faster every day, and I didn\u2019t want to be left behind. I was ready for a change\u2014to join a team, and to work in technology, but I knew it wouldn\u2019t be easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the past five years I\u2019ve been legally blind and because of that, enhanced hardware and software tools are a necessity. I\u2019m a huge advocate for digital accessibility and aware of the barriers that inaccessible software can create for people with disabilities. It\u2019s not a new topic for me, and it even predated learning of my own degenerative visual impairment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning to Become a Salesforce Pro<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During my search for a meaningful career path in tech and the need for accessible technology, I was introduced to a course offered in partnership through Salesforce and the Blind Institute of Technology. This program\u2019s goal is to provide the disability community with the opportunity to gain skills for meaningful employment whether at Salesforce or anywhere else.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enhanced accessibility features built into Salesforce\u2019s free online learning modules allowed me to level the playing field. In just six months, I completed a course, became a certified Salesforce Administrator, and was ready to show the world how awesome I am and land the job of my dreams. I wish it were only that easy.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Akasia Perran<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
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