This computer whiz became a Microsoft Certified Professional at age 5
With just five years under his belt, Ayan Qureshi became the youngest person to become a Microsoft Certified Professional, an exam people usually take when they are trying to become IT technicians.
The Coventry, England, resident was introduced to computers at age 3 by his father, Asim, an IT consultant. When Ayan went to take the test, the administrators thought he was too young, but Asim told them he would make sure his son could understand. "The hardest challenge was explaining the language of the test to a 5-year-old," Asim said. "But he seemed to pick it up and has a very good memory."
Now 6, Ayan continues to work on his own computer network at home, and spends two hours a day learning how to install programs and figuring out operating systems. He told the BBC he hopes to one day create the UK version of Silicon Valley, calling it E-Valley. "I'm very happy and very proud," his mother, Mamoona, said. "I don't want to see him set a world record every day. But I want him to do his best at whatever he does in his life."
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Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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