Owner/Web Technology Application Specialist
The WebKeeper

“I haven’t followed a traditional career path. I already had a bachelor’s degree in computer science, but from early on in my career, it was really outdated. After working in software development for a number of years, I took an extended career break to stay home while my children were little. Once I was ready to resume my career, I knew I wanted to design my own position that would be flexible enough for my schedule and yet still challenging on a professional level. 

“My coursework at Brookhaven not only gave me a nice set of current technology skills to complement my original degree, but also the confidence I needed to launch my own business after being out of the workforce for so long.

“I started freelancing Web site work while I was still taking eCommerce classes and launched my own business in early 2005. I currently have two clients who use my services all of the time to support their businesses, including adding resources to their Web sites as well as working with a database application and other general office applications. It’s the perfect situation for me. I can work the flexible hours I want and have plenty of work from repeat clients.

“There are a lot of small business owners who are not proficient in the ways technology can help them succeed. The courses I took in eCommerce technology would be a huge benefit to them as well as to students who want to help them. The instructors I had took the initiative to make sure I was on track to accomplish my own goals, which was great for me since I was an anomaly of sorts.”

Debbie Hobgood took eCommerce classes at North Lake and Brookhaven colleges, earning an eCommerce Technology Specialist Certificate from Brookhaven. She also holds a B.S. degree in computer science from Texas A&M University.