Alberto is from Alcobendas, Madrid. He is 39 years old and his story is full of coincidences, hard work and curiosity.
At the beginning of his working life, he wanted to be part of an insurance company for cars; as he needed experience, he started working at a garage painting cars. Some time later, the requirements for the insurance company changed and he was requested to have a university degree in engineering so he finally decided to pursue another career. Jumping from one work to another, he ended up in the Spanish TV channel Antena 3 painting tv sets. Thanks to his social skills, he met everyone at the company until one day he was offered a job in the production department. “Me, a producer? I have no experience!”, he said. But he stepped ahead anyway and worked in production since 2005.
From Antena3 TV to technology
In 2013, while working at TV, he joined a program in Network Administration. Computers had always been his passion and, even though he had a job, he wanted to learn more. After a few years he travelled to Canada, where he was working in a tv channel as well.
It wasn’t until recently that he thought about specializing in Cybersecurity. He wanted to change his career towards the tech sector. From his point of view, working in television is very unstable: “yes, it is possible to make a living, but you are constantly worried about having work in the long term, it is difficult to enjoy the project in which you are because you are always thinking about what’s next.” When he came back from Canada, he was offered a long-term project of 5 years. Paradoxically, he discovered that when having stability, he was no longer interested. So he went back to his passion: computers.
Luckily, he cancelled his contract and started to look for bootcamps to get into the tech area. Cybersecurity attracted him because his best friend is in the military, as a Sergeant of Cybersecurity and they usually talk a lot about these topics. He also knows that there is a big demand for these professionals. He was also interested in the Data Analytics program, but he finally made a decision based on the ethical hacking module included in the program: he sees himself protecting data for companies and individuals. The content of the program and the focus on the job market were his priorities when deciding to choose Ironhack’s bootcamp.
The Bootcamp Experience
Alberto knew that bootcamps existed, but he didn’t know any school until he started to do some research. He thought the content of the Ironhack’s program would help him to have an overview in the area of cybersecurity, at the same time that we would refresh some knowledge that he acquired in his previous education (such as introduction and architecture of networks, for example). In his case, he affirms that having previous knowledge in the area is useful but it is not a problem, since he has never actually worked as a network administrator and he also feels good when it comes to helping other students if necessary. He thinks that “having a general knowledge of computers helps in a daily basis, it is not mandatory.”
75% of the learning is autonomous and with self-guided exercises, whereas the other 25% is team learning: the group gathers information and presents the results of their research (also called labs) to their colleagues. They also do fun activities with the only purpose of getting to know each other and engage as a class.
Alberto is a warm person, he loves to have a good vibe in the classroom and to be in contact with classmates. When we ask him about the hybrid format of the program, he says that at first “I was worried because I need contact, but I made a decision and I don’t regret it. It works really well. The vibe in the class is amazing, we talk through the chat, we have private zoom calls to work together, there are group projects that help us to get closer. Also, the instructors and the facilitator, Pauline, is constantly supporting us. At the end, this is a true XXIst Century learning experience.” In fact, they are already talking about meeting (when possible) in Paris or Berlin to know each other in person.
His recommendation to those who are thinking about joining it is “to do it in English, because this is a great experience. I am meeting people from all over Europe, with different cultures. Not only I am improving my language skills, but I feel part of an international network.” After completing the bootcamp he would like to work in an international company and combine face-to-face work with remote working, which would be the ideal situation for him.
Regarding the job search, they had a session about soft skills abilities and an introduction to LinkedIn. Since there are three weeks left for the end of the program, this week he has the first meeting with Miriam Méndez, Career Coach for Ironhack. They will talk about his profile and how to face the job search.
Internationality, together with a strong focus on the job market, were crucial aspects that made him decide to join Ironhack. Alberto felt confident when he saw that the school actually helps students in their job search and the results-oriented attitude of the staff. After all his professional changes and work experience, his priority right now is to find an intensive training that gives him the skills to access the job market as soon as possible.
If you are also thinking in joining a cybersecurity bootcamp but have questions, do not hesitate to reach out to one of our admissions managers and ask any questions you may have! We will be delighted to hear from you!
