From Concrete to Code: My Journey into AI and Cybersecurity

I’ve always had a strong curiosity for technology. I was around 11 when my parents were able to buy our first computer. By 12, I was requesting free Ubuntu CDs through the ShipIt program and experimenting with Linux at home. I was the only one in my household who really knew how to use the internet and computers — and I loved it.

Ubuntu CD received through ShipIt. Image via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Even though I later chose to study civil engineering (in part following advice about promising careers), my interest in computing never went away. Throughout my professional life, I kept finding ways to integrate technology into my work — whether automating with Excel macros, analyzing data, or building apps from scratch.

For years, I worked as a civil engineer — planning, coordinating, designing, and analyzing the physical world around us. But my mind kept drifting back to software, systems, and smart tools.

Like many self-taught technologists, my journey into tech was fueled by curiosity and experimentation. During university, I built Android apps to solve real-world problems: one to manage a national youth congress using Firebase and QR validation, and another for a local restaurant — well before food delivery apps existed in my area.

Later, in infrastructure and maintenance coordination, I automated workflows with VBA, worked with geospatial data, and led engineering teams. Looking back, I was already leaning toward automation, data, and systems thinking.

Now, I’m exploring the intersection of cybersecurity, AI agents, and intelligent automation. I experiment with tools like Goose, CUA, Skyvern, and n8n. I’m currently working toward my Cisco Ethical Hacking Certificate, and I spend much of my time learning about offensive security, AI security, and how to build secure, autonomous systems.

I may come from a different field, but I bring with me years of discipline, analytical thinking, and the ability to execute in high-responsibility environments.

This blog is a space where I document what I learn, what I build, and what I discover.
If you’re on a similar path — or curious about what it’s like to shift careers into tech — I hope you’ll find something valuable here.