Johnny Gazoo is the founder of Expat TechWorks. He graduated from PSC in 2024 with an associate degree in Computer Programming and Analysis.
In case you missed it, PSC alumnus and Expat TechWorks founder Johnny Gazoo contributed the following opinion piece to the Pensacola News Journal (published February 22), sharing his story about how a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at PSC helped him reclaim his future.
PSC’s CTE program helped me rebuild my life and my future
Did you know more than half of working adults in the U.S. have considered changing careers, but many don’t know where to start?
I was one of them. A few years ago, I found myself starting over, unsure of what would come next. What turned things around wasn’t a lucky break, it was a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at Pensacola State College.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of West Florida, I spent 15 years working in Pensacola’s hospitality scene. But when personal and health challenges forced me to rethink everything, I realized I needed new skills and a fresh path forward.
That’s when I met Mike Johnston, a mentor I leaned on heavily during that time. Mike also happened to be vice president at Pensacola State College.
He encouraged me to take just one CTE class. That one step changed everything. While my four-year degree gave me a foundation in communication, it was the CTE program that gave me real-world experience.
I’d always been interested in blockchain and decentralized finance, which led me to programming. That passion evolved into building business automation and customer relationship management (CRM) tools for companies across the U.S., and even developing personal tools to manage my health as an insulin-dependent diabetic.
Today, I run my own company, Expat TechWorks, from the country of Panama, but Pensacola remains the foundation of everything I do. I work with Florida businesses, collaborate with PSC alumni and mentor others just like I was mentored.
CTE didn’t just help me change careers; it helped me reclaim my future. If you’re wondering whether it’s too late to reinvent yourself, it’s not. The resources and support are there. You just have to take the first step.