As a senior Business Information Technology major in the Fogelman College of Business & Economics, Jackson McClain first heard about UMRF Ventures, Inc., his freshman year during an honors forum hosted at the University of Memphis.
Little did he know that becoming involved with UMRF Ventures would lead him to a potential career with Raymond James, starting an entry level position as an M1 Analyst in 2022, becoming a Junior Operations Specialist in 2023, to now being the Identity and Access Management Supervisor.
“Jackson’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable, and it’s a testament to both his personal drive and the solid foundation he received through UMRF Ventures,” Jared Weaver, Manager, IT Security, IAM Ops said.
“How quickly I moved up is always my number one thing that I like to show off when it comes to UMRFV,” McClain said.
“There’s plenty of opportunities to move up, and not only just in your department, but if positions open in other departments, there’s no barrier to moving to different places to get where you need to be. You also get a lot of new experiences.”
Those experiences for McClain have included being able to represent UMRF Ventures at career fairs, serving as a panelist at the UofM for young IT leaders, and numerous networking opportunities with career professionals and industry leaders.
Housed within the University of Memphis, UMRF Ventures facilitates a talent pipeline, offering industry partners access to student employees who specialize in areas such as IT help desk services, business optimization, cybersecurity, system automation and more.
“How quickly I moved up is always my number one thing that I like to show off when it comes to UMRFV.”
-Jackson McClain
“The connections we’ve established with companies like Raymond James have been a key factor in providing our student-employees with access to cutting-edge training and development opportunities, helping them build a strong foundation for future success,” CEO of UMRF Ventures, Pierre Landaiche said.
The pay at UMRF Ventures begins at $15 per hour and can go upwards to $25 per hour.
The schedule is flexible, with students having the opportunity to work anytime between 7 AM and 7 PM.
Through his job at UMRF Ventures, McClain who takes classes online said that he’s able to balance school, full-time work and home life, while being able to support his wife, Jamie, who graduated this past December from the UofM with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
“UMRFV is a great opportunity for anybody in college,” McClain said. “I can’t say enough good things about the management here. They’re so flexible. They work with you, and they support you. This place is made for college students. It’s made for you to be here for a couple years or however long, and then you can leave and move on to those companies that you learned from and worked with. And so, the opportunities for growth and just the support overall is amazing here.”
McClain said through his work on the Raymond James account at UMRF Ventures, and the exposure to the professional career field of Information Technology, he’s been able to shape the trajectory of his educational journey by taking specific classes that would help him become even more marketable as a professional.
This included taking specific electives that fit with his job, advanced training in Excel and workshops on resume writing and interviews.
“I don’t know where I’d be without UMRF Ventures,” McClain said. “I’d probably be in a lot more debt and much less further in my career. Along with the experience, I think it’s helped me grow a lot in my career, not just on the connections and technical skills side, but also my work ethic and soft skills have definitely increased from when I was younger.”
