I haven’t posted on Medium since August of 2022. A lot changed and has happened since then.

When I last wrote, I was four weeks into my first tech role. Six months of grinding through a DevOps bootcamp had finally paid off. From accountant to engineer — the switch was real.

So started to enjoy the fruits of my labor, lived a little. As a result I stopped learning outside of work. I got comfortable.

Three and a half years went by.

The Wake-Up Call

In July 2024, my company was acquired. I took it as a sign to start sharpening my skills again.

I picked up Imran Afzal’s Complete Linux Course on Udemy and purchased Asghar Ghori’s RHCSA Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Study Guide.

Progress was slow though. I needed more structure.

Then in February 2025, the mass layoff came. I was out.

The Rebuild

I used the layoff productively. I enrolled in a Linux/sysadmin bootcamp to get the structure I needed. Took a database class — gave me some understanding but wasn’t for me. Also stumbled upon Mischa van den Burg’s KubeCraft community during this period, which planted a seed: eventually build a Kubernetes homelab. Not for a cert. For real depth.

While grinding through the bootcamp, I went through countless interviews. Kubernetes kept coming up throughout the process. I knew I wanted to tackle K8s eventually, but I also knew Linux was the foundation. Walk before you run.

Eventually landed a platform engineer role at a Fortune 500 company — serendipitous considering the steps I had already been taking toward Kubernetes. It required relocation. I took it.

The First Seven Months

The first seven months were a blur — new city, new role, bootcamp classes four nights a week, two certifications, all while ramping up in a completely new environment. No familiar faces, no established routine. Just figuring it out.

Passed RHCSA in September on my second attempt — only two weeks into cert prep because my voucher was expiring.

Then went after the CKA.

Failed three times. Third attempt I scored 65 out of 66. One point away.

Fourth attempt: 81. Passed.

Where I Am Now

I’m a platform engineer at a Fortune 500 managing Kubernetes cluster lifecycle at scale. RHCSA and CKA certified. Seven months in and finally able to breathe.

But passing certs isn’t the same as understanding deeply. I can execute commands and troubleshoot issues. I want more than surface-level knowledge.

So I’m going back to basics. Building real depth.

No more three and a half year gaps. No more coasting.

The Lesson

The moment you stop learning in tech, you start falling behind. I learned that the hard way.

As Kodak Black said: “Can’t run ‘round here acting like I made it.”

If you’re in a similar spot — coasting, comfortable, or coming back from a setback — start again. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just start.

I’ll be here consistently this time.

Welcome to Beyond the Cert.

Let’s build.