When I moved abroad, one of my biggest priorities became finding my passion. The pursuit felt exhilarating and, at times, daunting. After so many self-study sessions, I’ve explored a multitude of fields: namely data science, quant finance, algorithmic trading, quantum computing, blockchain development, machine learning, critical infrastructure cybersecurity and cloud security. It sounds a lot right? In fact, to me, it was more like a discovery than mastery. All I did was just posing a lot of questions to ChatGPT, conducting thought experiments, and taking free courses to learn about those fields at surface-level knowledge.
Every time I moved from one subject to another, I would ask myself, “Am i wasting time?” My answer was always, “Absolutely not.” I believe that each exploration brought me closer to understanding myself—my strengths, values, and what excites me. The whole process was not about finding my passion overnight, rather, it was about knowing myself, crafting a vision for the future and identifying how I could bring value to the world. I have always been inspired by IKIGAI, the Japanese concept of purpose, perhaps because I was surrounded by passionate people growing up.
One field with which I really got hooked up was CIC. Learning about PLCs, RTUs or HMI fascinated me more than building dashboard, coding a smart contract or training a neural network. I spent a great deal of my time diving into this field. Reality set in overtime, though, I was discouraged by the role's geographically constraints, the lack of vibrant community and the high prices of the courses. I knew it would not fit right long-term, but I did not leave empty-handed, I had an important take: I want to break into cybersecurity.
With further research, I found cloud security the most intriguing and there are several reasons why. Firstly, the missions and responsibilities of a cloud security professional excite me. One of my favorite strategies to evaluate my interest in a field is to learn about the projects and typical tasks involved. I am thrilled by the idea of safeguarding critical systems, solving complex security challenges, and ensuring the safety of data in a cloud environment.
Secondly, the flexibility for remote work aligns well with my future plans. For the moment, I am still undecided between pursuing an on-site or remote job, the flexibility that cloud security offers gives me a sense of freedom and adaptability that I value deeply.
Lastly, the diverse career pathways. I love that this field provides opportunities to work in various sectors such as healthcare, finance, or even blockchain to name a few. This versatility aligns with my broader goal of combining cybersecurity expertise with cross-disciplinary knowledge to make a meaningful impact across different domains.
Following my decision to pursue cloud security, I decided to craft a blog documenting my learning experience, whether in cloud security or other fields that intrigue me. The blog serves several purposes. First, it is my reflection on my learning journey, allowing me to represent what I have learnt thus further detect my challenges and deepen my understanding. Secondly, practicing my writing skills to hone my ability to express myself articulately. Lastly, I hope to connect with professionals in the field. Additionally, I hope this blog will make a great reference material for others in the future, it can be used as a roadmap that captures someone's triumphs and trials in striving to be an experienced professional from a complete beginner
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