He’s a techie putting humanity first.
A Berkeley College student from Flatbush is making big strides on his path to building a career in technology. Information Technology (IT) major Edwin Fleurant, who is of Jamaican descent, is somewhat of a jack of all trades working to meet his goals in many aspects. With a high admiration of the IT field, he says it’s always been something he wanted to pursue.
“I love technology and I basically grew up developing a love for it, and even when I was in Jamaica, I was always drawn towards it because it caught my eye,” said Fleurant.
Born in Brooklyn, Fleurant spent most of his childhood in Jamaica — completing his third grade to high school education there before returning to the borough in 2016. Upon his return, he struggled in his search for a college of his choice because he did not have any scores from the college admission test, SAT — which can facilitate the college application process.
Eventually he discovered Berkeley College, and was thrilled to find an institute offering easier admission, small classes, and his major of interest — information technology management.
Last fall, Fleurant snagged an internship with leading film company Marvel Studios. Throughout his internship, his tasks included helping filming crew at the studio’s Greenpoint location with the creation of accounts, accessing shooting equipment, and troubleshooting. He says the experience was unforgettable.
“It was amazing and everyday I was learning something new — it was very rewarding,” said Fleurant.
Motivated by his school’s career counseling services, he joined the U.S. Army Reserves to help in their IT department. In addition to wanting something flexible that could benefit his education, Fleurant was in search of somewhere to utilize his skills, while earning the chance to serve his country of birth in some respect. For him, the Army Reserves was the best option.
“I want to have an impact in the country where I live and when I thought of how I could help, I looked it up and felt like that’s where I should be,” said Fleurant.
His duties with the Reserves includes going on details with his unit on Staten Island, and providing security for major events such as the NYC Marathon.
It’s Fleurant’s goal to not only work in a field that he loves, but to excel in his career at a company with a proven track record in humanitarian issues — a big requirement of his.
“I want to be with a company that’s not just in it for the profit,” he said. “I want to work with a company that also shows care for people and are not only in it for themselves. I want to be somewhere where I feel like I’m doing my part.”
His time at Marvel cemented those feelings because he often witnessed volunteer work routinely organized.
As an ardent empath — which he credits to the loving upbringing helmed by his grandmother — Fleurant believes and practices an altruistic outlook on life.
“Growing up that’s how it was with my grandma and now that I’m older I see it really comes out in me, and I like to take care of people,” he said. “At the end of day, we’re not here alone and we all live together, and I believe this is the way to live peacefully and comfortably.”
He is looking out for everyday people in technology. One of his areas of interest is cyber security — an area of technology focusing on protecting vulnerable information from being accessed online.
Fleurant is expected to graduate this Spring, and afterwards plans on continuing his search for a fulfilling career in technology, hoping to manage his own company one day.
