From finance to AI: Caleb Bryant selected as 2026-27 WCTC District Ambassador

“I love the technical college atmosphere because we are all there to ‘get things done.’ There isn’t any fluff. “There are still plenty of group activities, clubs and social engagements. So, yes, it is ‘get things done,’ but it’s fun and supportive at the same time.” -- Caleb Bryant, 2026-27 WCTC District Ambassador

Caleb Bryant spent the bulk of his career working in the world of finance, specifically, mortgage banking, before deciding to take a break and make a fundamental shift. His job was solid, but the satisfaction and excitement in his day-to-day work was average, at best, he said. 

“Personally, I didn’t feel like I had challenged myself to the level at which I am capable. WCTC was the conduit for me to be able to do that,” he said. “It was an obtainable challenge that made me just uncomfortable enough to say, ‘Go for it!’”

And go for it, he did. Bryant followed his curiosity and dual enrolled in the IT-Data and Analytics Specialist program as well as the AI Data Specialist program, swapping spreadsheets and timesheets for machine learning models and class projects. He left his job and is now focusing on school full time, with plans to tackle an entirely new career in information technology.

Representing the district

Earlier this semester, Bryant was chosen as the new WCTC District Ambassador for the 2026-27 academic year. He will represent WCTC as a technical college advocate and participate in a state-level leadership development and recognition program. He joins student representatives from each of the 16 districts in the Wisconsin Technical College System to serve in this leadership role. 

“I love the technical college atmosphere because we are all there to ‘get things done.’ There isn’t any fluff,” he said, noting how classes are dense with material, expectations are high and students are responsible for putting in the effort to achieve personal success. … “There are still plenty of group activities, clubs and social engagements. So, yes, it is ‘get things done,’ but it’s fun and supportive at the same time.”

Immersive learning and innovation

Bryant has taken advantage of many extra curriculars available at WCTC, fully immersing himself in his education on multiple levels. He has participated in student panels and a podcast hosted in the Applied AI Lab, and he is an IT Club member and the dedicated AI liaison to the students in the group. Additionally,  he oversees the IT Hoot Club AI Newsletter that he started from scratch as a manual creation/process and is working to make it fully AI autonomous. His goal with the newsletter is to help others understand AI basics by highlighting different tools, offering how-to tips, providing curated AI news and breaking down complex tech terms. 

“As a student, you can engage as much as you want with all the opportunities WCTC offers with its program – not to mention the program-specific career fairs. I am midway through my degree and have already established meaningful connections with potential employers due to the career fair alone,” he said.

A result of those connections led Bryant to a part-time gig with Handshake AI, where he trains AI models by reviewing outputs, creating prompts and providing feedback. 

Building a data-driven future

Bryant plans to graduate in 2027, and he’s eager to fully jump into his new career field – but also continue to challenge himself academically.

"My post-WCTC plans are to get a job, but this time it will be something new and exciting for me,” he said. “I don’t want to stop this educational enlightenment that I’m on, so I hope that I can balance a job and pursue a bachelor’s or master’s while working. … Learning is just a hobby of mine. I don’t ever want to stop.”