The Full Career Story Nobody Tells You About Getting Into IT/Cyber | Devin Prasad  episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 20, 2026 · 1H 38M

The Full Career Story Nobody Tells You About Getting Into IT/Cyber | Devin Prasad

from The Wake UP X Solutions - Securing Tomorrow, Empowering Today with Efren L. Salazar · host Efren Salazar

What does it really take to go from entry-level help desk to network architect and cybersecurity expert — without a four-year degree?In this episode, we sit down with Devin, a seasoned network architect and CISSP-certified cybersecurity professional, who shares the unfiltered story of how he built a 20-year career in IT from the ground up — starting with a high school electronics and robotics academy and a scrappy student internship with a school district.Devin breaks down:• Why he turned down higher-paying job offers to chase upward mobility• The power of learning routing, networking, and cybersecurity from the bottom up• How working help desk and desktop support gave him a career advantage most senior engineers don't have• The real reason the best cybersecurity engineers come from a networking background• How mentorship, curiosity, and staying after hours (for free) accelerated his growth• His journey to earning SSCP, CISSP, and CCSP certifications — and what actually makes those exams hard• What zero trust architecture and software-defined networking look like in the real world• Why visualization, empathy, and technical skill are the three pillars of a great network architectWhether you're trying to break into IT, level up in cybersecurity, or just want a raw, honest conversation about building a tech career without shortcuts — this episode is for you.🎙️ No fluff. No gatekeeping. Just real talk from someone who lived it.Subscribe so you never miss an episode.#ITCareer #NetworkArchitect #Cybersecurity #CISSP #HelpDesk #TechCareer #Networking #ZeroTrust #CCNA #CareerGrowth #ITAdvice #BGP #CyberSecurity101 #BreakIntoIT

What does it really take to go from entry-level help desk to network architect and cybersecurity expert — without a four-year degree?In this episode, we sit down with Devin, a seasoned network architect and CISSP-certified cybersecurity professional, who shares the unfiltered story of how he built a 20-year career in IT from the ground up — starting with a high school electronics and robotics academy and a scrappy student internship with a school district.Devin breaks down:• Why he turned down higher-paying job offers to chase upward mobility• The power of learning routing, networking, and cybersecurity from the bottom up• How working help desk and desktop support gave him a career advantage most senior engineers don't have• The real reason the best cybersecurity engineers come from a networking background• How mentorship, curiosity, and staying after hours (for free) accelerated his growth• His journey to earning SSCP, CISSP, and CCSP certifications — and what actually makes those exams hard• What zero trust architecture and software-defined networking look like in the real world• Why visualization, empathy, and technical skill are the three pillars of a great network architectWhether you're trying to break into IT, level up in cybersecurity, or just want a raw, honest conversation about building a tech career without shortcuts — this episode is for you.🎙️ No fluff. No gatekeeping. Just real talk from someone who lived it.Subscribe so you never miss an episode.#ITCareer #NetworkArchitect #Cybersecurity #CISSP #HelpDesk #TechCareer #Networking #ZeroTrust #CCNA #CareerGrowth #ITAdvice #BGP #CyberSecurity101 #BreakIntoIT

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The Full Career Story Nobody Tells You About Getting Into IT/Cyber | Devin Prasad

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This episode is 1 hour and 38 minutes long.

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This episode was published on April 20, 2026.

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What does it really take to go from entry-level help desk to network architect and cybersecurity expert — without a four-year degree?In this episode, we sit down with Devin, a seasoned network architect and CISSP-certified cybersecurity...

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