{"id":67670,"date":"2023-05-14T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-14T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=67670"},"modified":"2023-05-18T15:37:07","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T14:37:07","slug":"how-a-laid-off-restaurant-manager-used-salesforce-to-find-a-tech-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/stories\/how-a-laid-off-restaurant-manager-used-salesforce-to-find-a-tech-career\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Laid-Off Restaurant Manager Used Salesforce to Forge a Tech Career"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Editor&#8217;s note: This story was originally published in October 2021, but was last updated in May 2023 for accuracy. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Quick Take:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>After losing his job and home in 2020, Tony Nguyen reevaluated his priorities and pursued a new career with the help of Trailhead and the Trailblazer Community.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Salesforce provides anyone with the tools needed to build tech skills and connect to&nbsp;opportunities through its <a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/trailblazercommunity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailblazer Community<\/a> and online learning platform, <a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailhead<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-vidyard wp-block-embed-vidyard\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" async src=\"https:\/\/play.vidyard.com\/embed\/v4.js\"><\/script><img decoding=\"async\"  style=\"width: 100%; margin: auto; display: block;\"  class=\"vidyard-player-embed\"  src=\"https:\/\/play.vidyard.com\/9eNJP5JWMuEdPQkP2oyu5s.jpg\"  data-uuid=\"9eNJP5JWMuEdPQkP2oyu5s\"  data-v=\"4\"  data-type=\"inline\"  data-width=\"500\"  data-height=\"281\"\/>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A look at Tony Nguyen&#8217;s journey to finding the Trailblazer Community.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI needed a new start because I was mentally and physically unhealthy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was Tony Nguyen\u2019s mindset in 2020 after the pandemic left him jobless \u2014 and consequently \u2014 without a permanent home. The Minneapolis resident was laid off as the regional manager of a local Vietnamese sandwich chain; one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/agenda\/2021\/02\/covid-employment-global-job-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">114 million people<\/a> worldwide to lose their job during COVID-19. Despite the restaurant industry being the only professional work Nguyen knew, despite being unemployed and homeless, the then 27-year-old Vietnamese immigrant wanted to change careers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe came here to America as a family and we all talk a lot about how important that is, but you&#8217;re doing something that gets rid of everything \u2014 your support, the people you talk to,\u201d said Nguyen, who regularly worked 6 to 7 day weeks. \u201cI lost sight of that because I was \u2018chasing the American dream,\u2019 but I didn&#8217;t even know what the American dream was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><div class=\"wp-block-image__wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large prevent-download\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"wp-block-image__modal-toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" data-modal-id=\"67666-modal\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Open Image Modal<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"958\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Before-going-to-America-with-siblings-and-mom-e1635180759280.jpeg?w=1024\" alt=\"Tony Nguyen in Vietnam with family\" class=\"wp-image-67666\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Future Trailblazer Tony Nguyen (3rd from left) in Vietnam with his family before moving to the U.S.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"67666-modal\" class=\"image-modal\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"image-dialog-title\"><div class=\"image-modal__overlay\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div><div class=\"image-modal__content\" role=\"dialog\"><button class=\"image-modal__close-button\" type=\"button\" data-a11y-dialog-hide aria-label=\"Close this image dialog window\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 26 25\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><rect x=\".626\" y=\"22.753\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(-45 .626 22.753)\"\/><rect x=\"2.747\" y=\".125\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(45 2.747 .125)\"\/><\/svg><\/button><h1 id=\"image-dialog-title\" class=\"screen-reader-text\">Image Modal<\/h1>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large prevent-download\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Before-going-to-America-with-siblings-and-mom-e1635180759280.jpeg?w=1024\" alt=\"Tony Nguyen in Vietnam with family\" class=\"wp-image-67666\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Future Trailblazer Tony Nguyen (3rd from left) in Vietnam with his family before moving to the U.S.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-great-american-work-remix\">The Great American Work Remix<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Welcome to the Great Resignation. Or the Great Reshuffle. Whatever you want to call it \u2014 the American workforce is shifting at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fastcompany.com\/90679444\/this-is-whats-really-behind-the-great-resignation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">historic rate<\/a>. After the pandemic led to record unemployment and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/coronavirus-live-updates\/2020\/07\/30\/896714437\/3-months-of-hell-u-s-economys-worst-quarter-ever\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">worst recession in U.S. history<\/a>, the country now faces a labor shortage, partially because people like Tony Nguyen realized their priorities have shifted and burnout is real. As of September, there were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2021\/09\/04\/ten-million-job-openings-labor-shortage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10 million job openings<\/a> despite more than 8.4 million unemployed people looking for work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span class=\"js-twitter-inline\">For Salesforce, it\u2019s not only about creating new technology and career opportunities; we have to pave pathways to these new jobs.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<cite>kris lande, svp trailblazer ecosystem, salesforce<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Businesses aren\u2019t just trying to fill those jobs, they\u2019re looking to fill those jobs with people who have the right skill set. Even before the pandemic, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/opinion\/articles\/2021-01-15\/biden-s-education-agenda-should-center-skills-workforce-development?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosatwork&amp;stream=business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">70% of employers<\/a> had trouble filling roles because of a skills gap and nearly<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/business-functions\/people-and-organizational-performance\/our-insights\/the-organization-blog\/reskilling-in-the-age-of-covid-theres-no-better-time-than-the-present\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> 90% of executives<\/a> said there\u2019s a shortage of needed skills in their workforce.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what if the problem wasn\u2019t just a gap in skills, but instead a gap in opportunities to build those skills? It\u2019s a gap Salesforce has already been looking to close with <a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailhead<\/a> \u2013 its free online learning platform \u2013 and its <a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/trailblazercommunity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailblazer Community<\/a> \u2014 a global network of people using Salesforce to build successful careers, companies, and communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor Salesforce, it\u2019s not only about creating new technology and career opportunities; we have to pave pathways to these new jobs,\u201d said Kris Lande, SVP of Salesforce\u2019s Trailblazer Ecosystem. \u201cWe\u2019ve made it our mission to empower people with the tools they need to build dynamic careers, companies, and communities with Salesforce, and thrive in a digital-first world.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tony Nguyen was listening.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><div class=\"wp-block-image__wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large prevent-download\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"wp-block-image__modal-toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" data-modal-id=\"67667-modal\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Open Image Modal<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1024\" width=\"1021\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=1021\" alt=\"Slack-First Trailhead powers personalized learning directly in the flow of work in Slack.\" class=\"wp-image-67667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png 1160w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=150&amp;h=150 150w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=300&amp;h=300 300w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=768&amp;h=770 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=1021&amp;h=1024 1021w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=264&amp;h=264 264w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=364&amp;h=365 364w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=678&amp;h=680 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=193&amp;h=193 193w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Slack-First Trailhead powers personalized learning directly in the flow of work in Slack.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"67667-modal\" class=\"image-modal\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"image-dialog-title\"><div class=\"image-modal__overlay\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div><div class=\"image-modal__content\" role=\"dialog\"><button class=\"image-modal__close-button\" type=\"button\" data-a11y-dialog-hide aria-label=\"Close this image dialog window\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 26 25\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><rect x=\".626\" y=\"22.753\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(-45 .626 22.753)\"\/><rect x=\"2.747\" y=\".125\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(45 2.747 .125)\"\/><\/svg><\/button><h1 id=\"image-dialog-title\" class=\"screen-reader-text\">Image Modal<\/h1>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large prevent-download\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1160\" height=\"1163\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=1021\" alt=\"Slack-First Trailhead powers personalized learning directly in the flow of work in Slack.\" class=\"wp-image-67667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png 1160w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=150&amp;h=150 150w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=300&amp;h=300 300w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=768&amp;h=770 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=1021&amp;h=1024 1021w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=264&amp;h=264 264w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=364&amp;h=365 364w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=678&amp;h=680 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/09\/home-slack-design-1.png?w=193&amp;h=193 193w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Slack-First Trailhead powers personalized learning directly in the flow of work in Slack.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Vietnamese-American Tale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After getting laid off and unable to afford rent, Tony Nguyen moved to his cousin\u2019s basement.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was scared. It was the lowest I&#8217;ve ever felt,\u201d he said via video conference. \u201cI didn&#8217;t have anywhere to stay. I\u2019m grateful my cousin was able to take me in. I ended up living in her basement for the next six months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cPeople won&#8217;t leave their own country to come to America if they don&#8217;t have to. When we came here it wasn\u2019t easy. There\u2019s always this feeling that you want to belong somewhere.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>Tony Nguyen, Salesforce Consultant, Slalom<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Those six months changed the trajectory of Nguyen\u2019s life. To determine his future, Nguyen reflected on his past. From immigrating to the U.S. from Hue, Vietnam, when he was nine; to facing constant discrimination that led his family to move 14 times; to his father returning to Vietnam and leaving his mom to work two jobs and take care of four children by herself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople won&#8217;t leave their own country to come to America if they don&#8217;t have to,\u201d explained Nguyen. \u201cWhen we came here it wasn\u2019t easy, there\u2019s always this feeling that you want to belong somewhere. There were a lot of obstacles we had to overcome. What I\u2019ve noticed: either you overcome it or you don\u2019t. You don\u2019t have a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tony Nguyen as child in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-52156\" data-id=\"52156\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Beofre-going-to-America-e1635181273406.jpeg?strip=all&#038;quality=95\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tony Nguyen as a child in Vietnam before moving to the U.S.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Trailblazer Tony Nguyen as child with family in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-52152\" data-id=\"52152\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Whole-family-with-my-Uncle-e1635181169258.jpeg?strip=all&#038;quality=95\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Future Trailblazer Tony Nguyen as a child with his family in Vietnam<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Trailblazer Tony Nguyen as child in America at Mall of America\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-52154\" data-id=\"52154\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Mom-and-siblings-first-time-at-Mall-of-America-e1635180961503.jpeg?strip=all&#038;quality=95\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Future Trailblazer Tony Nguyen (far right) at the Mall of America<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As Nguyen tried to overcome unemployment, his nomadic and isolated experience in America contributed to additional challenges. Like many from underrepresented communities, especially low-income, first-generation immigrants \u2014 Nguyen didn\u2019t know what he didn\u2019t know. As he searched for job openings, a friend suggested his transferable skills could be a nice fit as a Salesforce administrator. Small problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI had no idea what Salesforce was. It was a foreign word for me,\u201d admitted Nguyen. After googling the world\u2019s leading CRM, he quickly became intrigued but couldn\u2019t afford the proper training or relevant education. Or so he thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was looking around and everything was $4-5 thousand. We&#8217;re in a pandemic. I lost my house. I lost my job. I don&#8217;t have $5,000 to pay for a program. That&#8217;s when I ran into Trailhead and from there, everything started falling into place, like a domino effect.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><span class=\"js-twitter-inline\">I lost my house. I lost my job. I don&#8217;t have $5,000 to pay for a program. That&#8217;s when I ran into Trailhead and from there, everything started falling into place, like a domino effect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<cite>tony Nguyen, Salesforce Consultant, Slalom<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Salesforce Effect<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailhead<\/a> is Salesforce\u2019s free online learning platform that helps people without a tech background learn digital skills and land in-demand jobs. Its surrounding <a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/trailblazercommunity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailblazer Community<\/a> supports those learning how to use Salesforce through Trailhead and looking to join the Trailblazer Ecosystem, which features individuals from all backgrounds, roles, and experience levels.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nguyen couldn\u2019t believe Salesforce offered these career-building tools and resources for free, especially at a time when the public colleges costs have jumped <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2019\/05\/13\/costs-have-jumped-55-percent-in-a-decade-at-public-colleges.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">55%<\/a> and fewer people have the time and money to reskill through traditional education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>In America, everything comes with a price. Wrapping our heads around something this significant seemed too good to be true. Everything you need to learn was for free? Are you serious?&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>tony Nguyen, Salesforce Consultant, Slalom<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cComing from a foreign country, we always talk about going to school and how expensive school is. In America, everything comes with a price. Wrapping our heads around something this significant seemed too good to be true. Everything you need to learn was for free? Are you serious? I treated it like my full-time job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether from his cousin\u2019s basement or on his phone, Nguyen studied on Trailhead for 6-8 hours a day. A video game lover, he was hooked on Trailhead\u2019s gamified interface, where he could earn points and badges for learning different content in business, tech, and soft skills \u2014 like time management and networking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTrailhead doesn&#8217;t just teach you about Salesforce \u2014 it\u2019s way beyond that,\u201d said Nguyen. \u201cYou can learn how to be a good boss, how to be a good mentor, how to be a good student. Everything is on there!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Trailblazer Community: Why Are They So Nice?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As Nguyen racked up Trailhead points and ranks, the Trailblazer Community pointed Nguyen towards <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pepuptech.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PepUp Tech,<\/a> a non-profit committed to increasing underrepresented populations in tech to further him in his career journey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe hardest challenge is for people like me who are not surrounded by these opportunities,\u201d explained Nguyen. \u201cHow do we get exposure to Salesforce or technology in general, when we don\u2019t see that in our local, immigrant communities? What about the people that can&#8217;t afford school, or the people that just stepped foot in America and work at a restaurant or in construction? That&#8217;s a really big population, so we need to find a way to bridge that gap.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Nguyen, the Trailblazer Community helped bridge that gap; the first of many times the Community, with 1,300 groups across 90 countries, would offer a helping hand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><div class=\"wp-block-image__wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large prevent-download\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"wp-block-image__modal-toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" data-modal-id=\"67668-modal\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Open Image Modal<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=780\" alt=\"Screenshot of the feed in the new Trailblazer Community\" class=\"wp-image-67668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=300&amp;h=184 300w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=768&amp;h=471 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=264&amp;h=162 264w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=500&amp;h=306 500w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=678&amp;h=415 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=150&amp;h=92 150w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=315&amp;h=193 315w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The new Trailblazer Community Feed is accessible on desktop and via the Trailhead GO mobile app<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"67668-modal\" class=\"image-modal\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"image-dialog-title\"><div class=\"image-modal__overlay\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div><div class=\"image-modal__content\" role=\"dialog\"><button class=\"image-modal__close-button\" type=\"button\" data-a11y-dialog-hide aria-label=\"Close this image dialog window\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 26 25\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><rect x=\".626\" y=\"22.753\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(-45 .626 22.753)\"\/><rect x=\"2.747\" y=\".125\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(45 2.747 .125)\"\/><\/svg><\/button><h1 id=\"image-dialog-title\" class=\"screen-reader-text\">Image Modal<\/h1>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large prevent-download\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=780\" alt=\"Screenshot of the feed in the new Trailblazer Community\" class=\"wp-image-67668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=300&amp;h=184 300w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=768&amp;h=471 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=264&amp;h=162 264w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=500&amp;h=306 500w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=678&amp;h=415 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=150&amp;h=92 150w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2021\/06\/tail.jpg?w=315&amp;h=193 315w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The new Trailblazer Community Feed is accessible on desktop and via the Trailhead GO mobile app<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Community has supported my journey every step of the way,\u201d said Nguyen. \u201cI knew I belonged here because every time I failed, I got lifted up by random strangers. I don&#8217;t know these guys, why are they so nice? Why are they showing me so much love? I didn&#8217;t think it was real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Nguyen loved Trailhead, that didn\u2019t mean it was easy. As when anyone tries something new, there are a lot of speed bumps. Nguyen says reading about the success stories of his fellow Trailblazers \u2014 including 3.5-million Trailhead learners and growing \u2014 inspired him to continue his certification to become a Salesforce administrator, a role that helps companies customize their Salesforce platform.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople talk about living outside of your comfort zone or your bubble,\u201d said Nguyen, \u201cThat&#8217;s what I wanted to do. So I put all my faith in this. If it doesn&#8217;t work out \u2014 okay, I lost six months of my time. But I believed in the mission, the culture, and the people doing it before me. If they can do it, I can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Golden Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Spoiler alert: he did it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><div class=\"wp-block-image__wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large prevent-download\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"wp-block-image__modal-toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" data-modal-id=\"67669-modal\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Open Image Modal<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"768\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Image-3.jpeg?w=1024\" alt=\"Trailblazer Tony Nguyen on stage at Dreamforce 2021\" class=\"wp-image-67669\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Trailblazer Tony Nguyen on stage at Dreamforce 2021. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div id=\"67669-modal\" class=\"image-modal\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"image-dialog-title\"><div class=\"image-modal__overlay\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div><div class=\"image-modal__content\" role=\"dialog\"><button class=\"image-modal__close-button\" type=\"button\" data-a11y-dialog-hide aria-label=\"Close this image dialog window\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 26 25\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><rect x=\".626\" y=\"22.753\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(-45 .626 22.753)\"\/><rect x=\"2.747\" y=\".125\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(45 2.747 .125)\"\/><\/svg><\/button><h1 id=\"image-dialog-title\" class=\"screen-reader-text\">Image Modal<\/h1>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large prevent-download\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/10\/Image-3.jpeg?w=1024\" alt=\"Trailblazer Tony Nguyen on stage at Dreamforce 2021\" class=\"wp-image-67669\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Trailblazer Tony Nguyen on stage at Dreamforce 2021. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Nguyen is currently a Salesforce consultant for<a href=\"https:\/\/www.calabrio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Slalom<\/a>, a software company. He says he couldn\u2019t have done it without the Trailblazer Community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat stands out about the Salesforce ecosystem is it\u2019s people that you want to work with. There&#8217;s a community that you love. When you consider what you want to do, there has to be a greater meaning than just a career,\u201d said Nguyen of the Community.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>When you consider what you want to do, there has to be a greater meaning than just a career.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>tony Nguyen, Salesforce Consultant, Slalom<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;re going through some dark times. We need people to be together. The moment I saw and felt that, I knew this is where I wanted to be.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast forward a year from sitting in his cousin\u2019s basement homeless and unemployed, Nguyen was on stage at Dreamforce 2021 earning one of the highest honors in the Salesforce Trailblazer Community: a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/blog\/golden-hoodie-tradition-inspires\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Golden Hoodie<\/a>, given to those who exemplify inspiration and innovation. The magnitude of the moment left him emotional. It wasn\u2019t about the shiny gold sweatshirt, Salesforce, or even his new tech career; it was about finding something that\u2019s eluded him his entire life in America \u2014 belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFor the last 20 years, I&#8217;ve been looking for that thing. I knew I wanted to make change in the world, but in what way I wasn&#8217;t sure. I feel like I finally found it.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Visit and join <a href=\"http:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trailhead<\/a><\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Salesforce&#8217;s SVP of the Trailblazer Ecosystem on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/stories\/innovation-is-endless-salesforce-prepares-people-for-9-3-new-jobs-by-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how the company<\/a> is providing people of all backgrounds with tools to innovate and unlock career opportunities.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For more on how Trailhead and the Trailblazer Community are fueling the Salesforce Economy, click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/press-releases\/2021\/09\/20\/idc-salesforce-economy-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Editor&#8217;s note: This story was originally published in October 2021, but was last updated in May 2023 for accuracy. Quick Take:&nbsp; \u201cI needed a new start because I was mentally and physically unhealthy.\u201d That was Tony Nguyen\u2019s mindset in 2020 after the pandemic left him jobless \u2014 and consequently \u2014 without a permanent home. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":315,"featured_media":67665,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sf_subhead":"","sf_i18n_disclaimer":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"alternateThumbnailId":0,"sf_product_cta_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"sf_content_type":[4035],"sf_theme":[3985,4012],"sf_topic":[4009,3986,4011,4065],"sf_product":[4023],"sf_industry":[],"sf_role":[],"sf_multimedia_asset":[],"sf_location":[3992],"sf_collection":[],"sf_visibility":[],"coauthors":[4077],"class_list":["post-67670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","sf_content_type-feature-stories","sf_theme-digital-transformation","sf_theme-future-of-work","sf_topic-customer-360","sf_topic-digital-transformation","sf_topic-future-of-work","sf_topic-the-new-normal","sf_product-trailhead","sf_location-amer"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How a Laid-Off Restaurant Manager Used Salesforce to Forge a Tech Career - Salesforce<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/stories\/how-a-laid-off-restaurant-manager-used-salesforce-to-find-a-tech-career\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How a Laid-Off Restaurant Manager Used Salesforce to Forge a Tech Career\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Editor&#8217;s note: This story was originally published in October 2021, but was last updated in May 2023 for accuracy. Quick Take:&nbsp; \u201cI needed a new start because I was mentally and physically unhealthy.\u201d That was Tony Nguyen\u2019s mindset in 2020 after the pandemic left him jobless \u2014 and consequently \u2014 without a permanent home. 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