Strong Education Is Essential For Success In Technology, Says Philadelphia CEO
The thriving health care industry in Philadelphia opens many doors for companies related to the health field. LiquidHub is a digital integrator that partners with businesses to improve customer engagement and drive growth. The company empowers the leading global health care and financial services companies through technology innovation. Jonathan Brassington is the CEO and founder of LiquidHub. After founding the company in his own living room in 2001, Jonathan now employs 1,400 associates and surpass $125 million in revenue, delivering technology innovation for many companies.
How did your education help prepare you to successfully do your job?
"As I was born in Guyana, it was actually a scholarship to study computer science and mathematics at Misericordia University that first brought me to the U.S.. Similar to many foreign-born tech entrepreneurs who have founded great companies across the U.S., I was attracted by the educational opportunities and wanted to stay here to start and grow my business. After graduating from Misericordia, I worked in the technology industry while simultaneously earning a master's degree in telecommunications and operations strategy at the University of Pennsylvania. The unique cross-disciplinary program at Penn, which combined classes at the engineering school with Wharton courses, instilled the technical foundation and business acumen that I needed to found LiquidHub, a digital integrator with offices in North America, Europe and Asia."
Do you believe education plays a vital role in landing a great job in the technology field?
"I think a strong education is essential as technology and engineering are science disciplines that require an understanding of the fundamentals before they can be applied to real life. Of course, there are examples of tech entrepreneurs who circumvented universities to start their businesses, but those cases are certainly rare."
What is the most relevant aspect of your education that applies to your day-to-day job?
"There are so many aspects of my education that I apply regularly, from management skills to technical fundamentals and strategies to help foster innovative thinking. While not necessarily found in a science or engineering curriculum, I learned an incredible amount about leadership and how to live an honorable life from my teachers. As a result, when we founded LiquidHub, one of the first things we did was determine a core set of values, largely informed by my university experiences. When looking at candidates, we of course look for people with the best technical skills, but the importance of integrity, passion, humility and respect can't be overlooked."
What is the most fun aspect of your job?
"I love working with the brightest innovators – employees and clients – to apply technology in creative ways to solve business challenges. With our focus on digital transformation and customer engagement, I take great pride in seeing our work contribute directly to clients' successes."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
