Job mobility is becoming an increasingly common reality for modern workers — with those entering the workforce today expected to hold twice as many jobs throughout their careers compared to just 15 years ago.
As a geologist, Vinny Pacheco would never have imagined himself working in a data center, trading rocks for IT racks. It’s not a career change that necessarily shouts, ‘transferable skills.’ It wasn't fulfilling a lifelong dream to be steeped in technology; it was adapting to his own circumstance.
"After having my first child, I didn’t want to be away traveling as much as [geology] often requires,” Pacheco told Broadband Nation. “My father-in-law had introduced me to Linux years ago, and that ended up helping me land my first role in IT."
Once he got in, he quickly found himself wrapped up in the pace and problem solving. “I like work that keeps me thinking and growing,” he said.
Currently working as a data center site lead, he oversees day-to-day operations, equipment and the data center technicians all required to keep the complex facilities up and running. While Pacheco had a military background to help with networking concepts like routing and switching, he had no real IT background. But the hardest adjustment wasn't learning Linux. It wasn't networking. It wasn't even leaving geology behind. It was walking into a building without windows.
“The biggest challenge honestly was the environment change. In geology, you spend a lot of time outdoors and in the field, so going into a data center with no windows was a huge adjustment for me mentally,” Pacheco said of the early days. “I had to adjust to a different communication style and work culture.”
Whereas Pacheco described geology as a “more rugged and laid back” working environment, his experience in IT has been fast paced — surrounded by “intelligent people who enjoy methodically digging deep into problems and systems. Different energy entirely,” reflected Pacheco, “but I ended up really enjoying both in different ways.”
In IT, Pacheco welcomed the drive to solve problems on a daily basis. “When I was brand new, I thought the work was exciting. And honestly, I still do. Being around constantly evolving technology and getting hands-on experience with systems I had never worked with before kept me really engaged," he detailed. "I liked that there was always something new to learn and new problems to solve, which kept the work interesting.”
As much as Pacheco enjoys the energy, he also thinks anyone considering the field should be aware: it’s a lot to keep up with.
“It can be challenging and there’s always more to learn,” he acknowledged. “You have to be adaptable and open-minded because there often isn’t just one correct way to solve a problem. Troubleshooting requires critical thinking, patience, and the willingness to keep learning continuously.”
That willingness to change was critical to the joy Pacheco now has as someone who completely shifted lanes — it’s also the way he thinks newcomers can thrive in the rapidly growing industry.
“One of my biggest pieces of advice is to become comfortable not always knowing the answer immediately,” he offered. “In this field, technology changes constantly, and no one knows everything. What really matters is learning how to research effectively, troubleshoot logically, and find reliable solutions on your own.”
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