👋 Hello, innovators!

Over the past few months, I’ve been constructing a robust, enterprise-like cloud environment for my company, Wahl Network, to serve as a platform for building, testing, and deploying my applications. Many of these applications are experiments and proofs of concepts used for learning (self-improvement!) and clients (revenue stream!).

I believe that having a solid framework, platform, and release process yields higher quality results with quicker release cycles even though it’s just me on the team (for now).

Unrealistic, Insecure Environments

The realization struck me during this build process that the majority of the training materials I had utilized were heavily focused on idealized lab environments. These lab setups conveniently glossed over crucial real-world considerations. They typically employed a single cloud account, granted unrestricted access to a solitary super-admin, and treated security as an afterthought – a concept to be addressed in “real-world” scenarios, but not within the confines of the lab.

This approach struck me as fundamentally flawed and counterproductive.

It raises the question: why perpetuate a training model that instructs individuals on how to construct insecure environments? These environments do not adequately prepare them for the complexities and potential pitfalls they will inevitably encounter in real-world scenarios. This approach not only fosters a false sense of security but also fails to instill the critical importance of security considerations from the outset.

The Launch of Essentials Courses

I’m currently conducting an experiment where I’m creating free “essentials” type courses specifically designed to be beginner-friendly and accessible. These courses are hosted on YouTube with decks posted to SlideShare for anyone to share and enjoy.

My first course, Getting Started with AWS – Enterprise Landing Zone for Terraform Learning & Development, just launched today!

What’s Makes These Essentials Courses Unique / Different?

What sets these free courses apart is their focus on real-world applications and their beginner friendly nature. I incorporate components and scenarios that you’re likely to encounter when searching for a job in the tech industry. To make the learning experience more engaging, I’ve included achievement badges, friendly cartoon characters, and, of course, my signature dry humor. 😉

I believe this approach will not only make the content more enjoyable but also provide practical skills that are directly applicable to the job market.

Summary

I know my first essentials courses will not be perfect and I will continue to learn how to make better courses with your support and feedback. I have thick skin – take a peek and let me know what you think, both good and bad!

✌️ & 💙