Football Player Turned IT Apprentice: Michael Lowe's Unlikely Career Move

Michael Lowe is an unlikely face behind the scenes at Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. As a former Division I football player for UC Berkeley, Lowe once stepped onto the field under the bright lights of game day. Now he's applying his skills from Cisco Networking Academy as an apprentice to the 49ers' Network Engineering team.

Lowe participated in the Cisco Networking Academy Dream Team at Cisco Live earlier this year, where he built relationships and shared his goal of combining his sports background with a career in network engineering. Those conversations helped open the door to the 49ers apprenticeship.

As an IT apprentice, Lowe is gaining hands-on experience with the technology systems that support game day operations across the stadium. He's learning about complex network infrastructure and how it enables seamless experiences for fans, from TV menus to concession purchases and media interactions.

Lowe's background as a UC Berkeley football captain has given him a unique perspective on leadership and teamwork. As he navigates his new role, he's taking a 'football approach' to learning network engineering, breaking down complex protocols into understandable terms.