Hey everyone I’m a single father if 2 in southwest Florida and my background is unconventional: I have worked in concrete truck driving and real estate, which taught me discipline, responsibility, and the ability to adapt quickly in high-stakes situations and local music industry artists and producer and lots of experience tinkering and fixing cars through modification . But my real passion has always been tech & problem-solving. I recently completed the Google Cybersecurity Certification, and it only deepened my drive to pursue this path. I found myself fascinated not only by how attacks work, but also by the strategy behind defending systems—especially in blue team operations. Glad to be here and learn more and get some results For me, cybersecurity is more than a career shift—it’s a chance to align my natural pattern recognition skills with meaningful work. I want to become a skilled defender who understands threats from the inside out and can anticipate attackers’ moves before damage is done. My ultimate goal is to secure a role as a blue team analyst, continuously growing while giving back to the community that helped me start.

Hello, my name is John, and I’m making the switch from plumbing to a career in cybersecurity here in Vancouver, Canada. I’ve worked as a plumber for a few years, but I’m excited to dive into the world of IT and security. I’ve been studying daily for a month, building on my practical problem-solving skills from plumbing to tackle cybersecurity concepts. I found some awesome cybersecurity resources online, including posts from industry pros on X, which have been like a lifeline for learning the basics and preparing for exams. Good luck to everyone who’s chasing a new career in cybersecurity! We’ve got this!

My name is Anthony Fox, and I’m currently completing my degree in Cybersecurity at American Military University, with graduation expected this December. I bring nearly 10 years of experience in Human Resources and some IT roles through my service in the U.S. Air Force, and I currently hold a TS/SCI clearance. Looking back, I wish I had learned about programs like this earlier in my academic journey. While I initially planned to pursue certifications after graduation, I now realize how valuable it would have been to begin that process sooner. I'm currently exploring opportunities to build my credentials and practical skills, with plans to use the VA’s VR&E program to pursue graduate certificates through SANS Technology Institute. If that path doesn't work out, I'm considering a cybersecurity boot camp as an alternative. I came across this community while researching cybersecurity career paths and resources to help me grow professionally. I’m excited to learn from you all and hope to join this program once funding becomes available. Thank you, and I look forward to connecting! Very respectfully, Anthony Fox,

My name is Marco, and I’m based in Phoenix, Arizona. I have a solid foundation in Linux, Python, and basic networking, and I’ve recently decided to transition from customer support into cybersecurity. My interest in technology started young tinkering with Raspberry Pi devices, coding small applications, and exploring OSI model concepts. Most recently, I set up a VM in AWS, which deepened my interest and accelerated my learning. I’m highly motivated and committed to breaking into tech by any means necessary, with a goal of working in tech by January/February

Hey everyone, my name is Omeed. I'm currently a first-year student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Information and Communications Technology, with a major in Cybersecurity. I've also been lucky enough to get my first job whilst studying, now working as a security officer at a data centre for the last 3 months. I joined this community in hopes I could learn more about the tech world through everyones experiences, and to become more confident in where my own aspirations lie. Hope everyone is well and look forward to meeting you all! PS: The other thing that convinced me to join was finding out Evan played rocket league