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Noah Brandon, CEO of Unitech Training Academy, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his mission to make education accessible to all.
Noah graduated from the College of Business at UL-Lafayette and then went on to earn his MBA from Brown University and the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid Spain.
Unitech Training Academy is a growing education institution that was originally founded by Noah’s mother, Deanna Head, in 1997, initially offering a Certified Nursing Assistant program. Today, the institution has six campuses across the state, online classes, and two early learning centers in Lafayette and Alexandria.
Noah is an advocate for all post-secondary educational offerings and is active with One Acadiana’s Workforce Development Strategy to ensure that local employers can find skilled workers that fit market needs.
Unitech staff partner with their students at Unitech to ensure that the soft skills needed to stay employed are learned while training for their new career. “There is a universal truth among all hiring managers: they want to hire people who make their lives easier, not harder. So when you’re interviewing for a job, your goal is not to tell them how great you are. Your job is to convince them that you are the answer to their problems and you’ll make their job easier.”
The majority of students at Unitech are studying allied health field courses. Classes offered include Dental Assisting, EKG/Phlebotomy technician, Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, medical billing and coding, as well as Massage Therapy, IT Technician, IT Support Specialist, and Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate. At any given time there are approximately 1100 students enrolled in what Noah calls a “rolling program of enrollment” that allows students to start classes each Monday. Noah’s mom, Deanna, created this model to allow students to start a new career and obtain an education as soon as possible.
Noah is active in the community and serves as President of the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana. He was honored in 2022 as an Acadiana Top 20 under 40 Award Recipient.
Noah Brandon spoke of his understanding of the importance of intentionality when dealing with others. Most of us carry around fears and insecurities, and it can show in our actions if people don’t know us. Especially as you move up the career ladder. Our insecurities can shape how people size us up. We may be shy but it can come off as aloofness. People may think, “You’re the guy in charge….you’re not supposed to be insecure!’ He believes that if you look at people with love instead of fear, it really changes the whole dynamic. “If I look at others and give them the benefit of the doubt…..it becomes so much easier to interact with people.”
For more information on Unitech Training Academy, please visit https://unitechta.edu/ or https://www.facebook.com/UnitechTrainingAcademy/
