In 1998 at the age of 29, George Iova joined the U.S. Navy. After serving for 13 years, he decided that he wanted to do something different and find a good job after his discharge from the armed forces.
Using his GI Bill benefits, Iova enrolled in the Project Management Certificate program at SDSU’s College of Extended Studies. “I worked on many projects in the military and prior to the military, but I wanted a formal education and to eventually earn certification in project management, which I did after finishing the program and taking the PMP exam.”
After earning his certification, Iova was hired as a senior project engineer at Barrick Gold of North America. “I attended a hiring conference in Las Vegas and met with a recruiter from Barrick Gold after he reviewed my resume. He told me that with my experience, college degree and PMP certification, I would be a very good fit for the company. So I was hired.”
Today, Iova is working on many projects including one that recovers gold from wastewater. “I thank SDSU for what I’m accomplishing today. The whole program is outstanding. It provides a lot of hands-on experience and working in teams. The instructors are very seasoned and exceptional. I’m using almost everything I learned in the program on the job today.”
