Jarrod Franklin: Finding His Place Off The Field
Jarrod Franklin knows exactly how hard you need to work to be successful.
During his 5 seasons on the Tulane University football team from 2013-2017, Franklin played in 37 games with 26 starts and was named a team captain in 2016 and 2017. Franklin earned a bachelor’s in science, Finance, Management/Entrepreneurial focus as well as a Master’s of Business in Data Analytics during his time at Tulane.
Making His Mark
Today, Franklin is back in New Orleans and working as a DevOps Engineer at NextEra Energy Resources, a solar energy company.
“Essentially, I am a software engineer who plays a role between the development and operations in a business,” said Franklin. “I do a lot of coding between the two and make it more accessible for the non-technical people in the solar energy company.”
During his time as a student-athlete, Franklin became interested in the topic of data analytics and renewable energy.
“I decided I wanted to make my footprint in the field early, so I got an internship to learn more and went to grad school for it,” said Franklin.”
From Field to Office
Franklin credits his experience as a student-athlete with preparing him for the workplace.
“The amount of discipline, dedication, and hours that I put into football was able to translate to my job. The structure of the workouts and the time-keeping agenda is so important and makes the real world feel like a piece of cake,” Franklin said.
The energy and active attitude you learn in sports is something that Franklin believes plays a key factor in his everyday performance at work as well.
“I feel like I run circles around people all day and being a student-athlete gave me the upper hand just by the experiences and opportunities I learned from,” said Franklin.
Creating His Own Opportunities
When reflecting on his experience as a student-athlete, Franklin stressed how important it is to take advantage of the opportunities you have as well as seek out opportunities on your own. Being accountable for his future as well as doing his research and contacting jobs was a big part of finding the right job fit for Franklin.
“Finding the right job took a lot of time and dedication, just like football. You have to just push and push and there is never anything handed to you,” said Franklin.
One piece of advice that Franklin was told and believes can help any current student-athlete is to try out as many experiences as possible and try to pinpoint what you enjoy doing.
“Don’t get a job just for the money. Find something you like to do and don’t be ashamed of what it is or how much you make. If you have a passion for it and love what you do, you will make money regardless,” said Franklin.
Student-Athlete Experience
As a student-athlete, Franklin was able to get experiences unparallel to other students on and off the field. Franklin emphasized how unique and valuable it is to be a student-athlete and spend hours on end with teammates and build friendships that last for years beyond graduation.
“The network of college athletics is so vast and the network you build around your teammates is so important because you will run into them again,” said Franklin.
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