Angel Cintron is a 48-year-old Chicago native who has almost 20 years of experience in industrial design with specialized concentrations in consumer products and toy design. From generating 2D and 3D files for use across multiple departments to conducting color studies and user analysis, Angel has done it all. One of his most successful projects led to an international product that topped over $1 billion in sales! His passion for his career which sits at the intersection of design, technology, and human interaction is never-ending. Although Angel has worked as a freelance designer for the majority of his career, he did find himself laid off from full time employment at one point. However, this only fueled his pursuit of his passion. He took this layoff as an opportunity to fine-tune his skillset and freshen up his portfolio. It was during this time that Angel’s brother encouraged him to pursue National Able Network’s Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) program.
When Angel applied to WIOA, he worked with career coach Gregory Morrow. Gregory remembers how Angel’s experience was already quite extensive, and they discussed Angel’s career goals and aspirations. Through their conversations, Angel quickly enrolled in the Frontend Web Developer Program at Computer Training Source. Angel recalls how the course allowed him to deep dive into everything front-end development, from search engine optimization (SEO) to cascading style sheets (CSS).
Additionally, during his time in the course, Angel participated in several RemarkAble! Careers job readiness workshops. “I learned more about how to structure my resume, the importance of using action-related phrases. It was all very informative,” says Angel. With a refreshed resume and new job search tools, Angel felt confident when entering the job market.
When asked how he stands out from other industrial and product designers, Angel says, “The bigger the problem, the more I love it. I’m a self-starter with real life experience, and I know how to speak to different people in different departments to get a project completed,” he continues, “Many times engineers and designers have communication challenges, but through my experience I know how to bring them to the table along with management to create a successful project game plan. I’ve also worked in hybrid roles for many years as a freelancer, so I feel comfortable in any environment. I can execute, space my time, and exceed expectations.”
