How Kennith Launched his Cybersecurity Career Path with DigitalCrafts

Kennith Lowy grew up with the evolution of the internet and had experience in networking when he started looking for a way to upskill in cybersecurity. He chose the full-time Cybersecurity Bootcamp at DigitalCrafts and found that they support career transitioners no matter their background. Thanks to industry-informed instructors and committed career services support, Kennith passed the CompTIA Security+ certification exam after bootcamp and launched a new career path in cybersecurity in less than a year!

You had previous experience in computers and IT — why did you decide to enroll in a cybersecurity bootcamp this year?

I’ve been interested in computers since I was a kid, but I thought I’d pursue a career in law or acting. I did debate in high school and then attended Boston University majoring in English with the possibility of going into their law program. Two years in, I decided that it wasn't for me, so I moved back home to Miami when a friend invited me to visit them in Aspen, Colorado where I ended up staying and starting an IT career at a fortune 500 company! I moved into desktop support positions when the State of Colorado hired me for an infrastructure position working for social services, which is when I finally got into networking. I continued to expand my networking career, and I was eventually sold on the idea of starting a cybersecurity career. 

Why did you choose DigitalCrafts?

What really stood out to me about DigitalCrafts was that they were genuine — they felt more aligned with my career goals and their educational approach was supportive instead of dependent. I noticed other schools selling their programs with more guarantees and reliance on their resources, but DigitalCrafts was down-to-earth and honest, so I enrolled in their full-time, four-month-long Cybersecurity Bootcamp. 

The main reason I chose DigitalCrafts was to prepare for the CompTIA Security+ certification exam. Passing that exam was a huge deal — it took me a lot longer than I thought and was really hard! DigitalCrafts gives you two vouchers to take the test, so you have one retake you can do. They also offer access to a CompTIA CertMaster course valued at $500 where you can practice taking the exam with full access to the certification test, featuring all the questions that may be on the test, practice exams, and labs!

What was a typical day like in the Cybersecurity Bootcamp? 

We started the bootcamp by ensuring we all had the right machine requirements that would support the needs of the program. After that, we started each day with a briefing on the news, then explained either what we read or how we felt about it, to get us involved in what was going on with cybersecurity around the world. 

Class was 10am-5pm with an hour break. We did a balance of lesson plans and TryHackMe learning. During the day, we learned about networking and how to install applications and softwares for cybersecurity. We also had subscriptions to TryHackMe where we could practice what we learned. There was a teacher's assistant to help out and all the lessons were recorded, so I could go back and review. We also had time to work together with another cohort member.

What were your instructors like? Were they cybersecurity or networking professionals?

My instructor is only a few years younger than I am and he had been working in tech since he was 17 in the late 1990s and worked his way into cybersecurity. I trusted that he knew everything we needed to know about networking and cybersecurity! 

What was your cohort like? Were they career changers, too?

I was actually the only one that had working experience in tech. The rest of my cohort were chefs, waiters, musicians, and some people were straight out of college — everyone in my cohort came from a different background than computers!

What kinds of projects or labs did you work on in the bootcamp?

DigitalCrafts has a license with TryHackMe. TryHackMe uses a step-by-step approach to teach how to use software in networking and cybersecurity through activities and quizzes. It would start by telling you to look up an IP address, then ask what type of packets you see going through traffic on this IP, then finally ask what's abnormal about what you saw. We did 40 of them over several hours every day over the bootcamp.

Did you take your CompTIA Security+ certification exam after you graduated from the bootcamp?

You can schedule when you want to take the exam. I initially scheduled it a month after class ended, but rescheduled several times because I kept getting only 70s and 80s on my practice tests and you need a 92 to pass. After I graduated from the bootcamp, I spent another four months studying for the certification exam. 

As someone who had been working in tech, how did DigitalCrafts help you prepare for the cybersecurity job hunt? 

The career services team at DigitalCrafts was my favorite part of the bootcamp because they had great attitudes and it was obvious they love what they do. Once or twice during the week they would offer one-hour sessions on resume writing, job hunting tips, interviewing advice, how to network in tech, and career Q&A. I noticed that some people didn’t take advantage of the career services at DigitalCrafts, but their insight was invaluable to me! Learning how to make professional connections was the number one thing I gained from their support

What roles did you feel qualified to apply for after graduating?

I’ve definitely experienced some imposter syndrome in both the networking jobs I’ve had so far, but I realize once I’m on the job that I have been trained and prepared to do them and can learn quickly anything I don’t know. 

Do you have any tips for others on the cybersecurity job hunt right now?

When you’re applying for jobs, apply for a variety of cyber roles! I’ve noticed that a lot of people will apply for certain titles in cybersecurity, such as security operation center (SOC) analyst, and not others, even though there are at least 16 different types of jobs in cyber: offensive security, defensive security, police forensics, and so much more. I landed job offers when I applied to the jobs that only five others applied for, instead of 500. Also, be prepared for the interview process: interviews with HR, the CEO, and then a technical interview.

When you’ve interviewed for cybersecurity roles, have employers been interested in your CompTIA certification and/or DigitalCrafts bootcamp experience?

I got all those networking jobs in Colorado by just selling myself and being able to do the job –  without having one certification. Instructors at DigitalCrafts reiterated that you don’t have to have a lot of certifications to start a cybersecurity career path. Going through a bootcamp and getting your CompTIA Security+ certification doesn’t guarantee you a job. Even with 10 years of networking experience and a focused bootcamp, it still took me a long time to find a job. Every job will ask for different things; some want certifications like CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Network+, Linux, Ethical Hacker, etc. Keep in mind these are often their wish list and not their requirements! Having one certification got me in the door. 

At this point in your cybersecurity career path, was DigitalCrafts worth it for you? 

I would not have gotten where I am now without DigitalCrafts! While a lot of the material I learned could have been learned for free, I benefited from the structure, the professional networking, and the ability to rewatch the videos any time. 

What is your advice to incoming students on making the most of their time in the DigitalCrafts Cybersecurity bootcamp?

• Take things slow. 
• Pay attention to every detail of instruction and try your best to try to take it all in.
• Put in a little extra effort after class to review. 

Find out more and read DigitalCrafts reviews on Course Report. This article was produced by the Course Report team in partnership with DigitalCrafts.

DigitalCrafts cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement.