Living Lab is a great class to gain experience that you can apply to the real world. The small class means there is more one-on-one time with the lab instructor. The Living Lab also lets you get your hands dirty with hardware and not just focus on exams and homework. I can apply what I learned in other classes to real-world scenarios. My favorite thing about Living Lab is that I can put everything that I achieve in class on my resume, which puts me ahead of the curve with potential employers.
Bhaumik Yashesh Pandya
The Living Lab has been very educational for me this semester. I gained experience in collaborating with a client in order to install a Polycom Videoconferencing system, to provide a new way of communication for the client.
Paul D. Bailey
Living Lab has been a great experience for me to learn daily obligations to maintain a healthy network. I’ve learned independent research is a very important process before network testing is conducted. I’ve also learned that you must have a process to monitor packets flowing in and out of the network. Working with packet sniffing programs has been helpful. In a team environment, I’ve also learned to install network cables, mount and install switches, and test networks.
Charles Alan Stone
The Living Lab has been a great experience for me throughout the semester. I worked with some technologies that were previously unfamiliar and consulted with a client to develop a good solution to implement for them. Working in many unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations truly pushes you, and I believe it’s the best way to foster growth in any profession. So for the Living Lab to give that opportunity is a great thing.
Nathanial William Adams
My time in Living Lab was really beneficial because the software we learned about is used in the real world. I learned additional skills, such as being disciplined on arrival time, trying different methods to solve problems, and asking help from peers. I really enjoyed working with Snort, and using it to solve problems will help me with future projects. I look forward to what the future holds after adding this class to my resume!
Mohammed S. Iftikhar
Before Living Lab, I had no work experience related to my IT career. I am grateful to my teachers for their support and encouragement on my projects. I experienced projects hands-on and improved my soft and technical skills. I learned how to work independently and also with a team as needed. I recommend students learn by direct practice and experience the Living Lab. It will introduce you to your prospective career!
Ibrahim Issakha Doude
The Living Lab experience has helped me better understand my abilities and what I need to work on. I worked with others in a team and also learned to lead others when my project needed help. In a previous IT job, I did similar tasks to those in the Living Lab, and it shows just how good an experience this can be to help others be better prepared when they graduate.
Justin Tanner Andrew
The Living Lab has provided a great learning environment to improve my technical skills, build my ability to work in a team, and establish my communication skills.
Lindsay Hamstra
The Living Lab has given me the chance to work on a project that I have yet to encounter in my six years of IT experience. It’s broadened my horizons and given me a great chance to work with other students in my field. I have also been able to pick up information from other fields of IT that I wouldn’t have been able to learn in my current job.
Jerry Henderson
I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up for the Living Lab. It has been a long and difficult journey this semester, but I got hands-on experience with Linux. I hoped to cover more networking material, but setting up an intrusion detection system and troubleshooting commands did make this seemingly impossible task for a student with no prior experience more approachable. I also got to make network cables for the first time, which was an added bonus.
Nelson Soriano