I was a freshman in college when my grandmother passed away. My parents were struggling with their health, and her financial support had helped keep them afloat. I started feeling like staying in school was selfish, so I dropped out and joined the Marine Corps Reserve to get healthcare benefits and a steady income. At the same time, I began searching for a civilian job I could work when I wasn’t on duty.
I had never even changed my own oil before, but I applied for a diesel mechanic job at a local industrial equipment dealership anyway. During the interview I said, “I’ve never done this before, but I learn fast. If I can’t figure it out, you can just fire me.” My future boss shook my hand and hired me.
I ended up working as a diesel mechanic for about three years, fixing forklifts, skid steers, and manlifts. Over time, I advanced into more administrative roles—first as a service administrator, then dispatcher, and eventually operations manager. I had climbed as high as I realistically could, but I realized I wasn’t happy. I wanted something different—and I kept coming back to my longtime interest in robotics and machine learning.
By then, my family was in a much better financial position, so I felt like I finally had room to do something for myself again. I didn’t want to return to a four-year university, though. Then I saw an ad on Facebook for an AI boot camp through Louisiana State University. I signed up.
The program was six months long, online, with instructors and career support. I got into the first cohort and received multiple discounts, including one for military service. I paid around $10,000 total. We covered statistics, machine learning, neural networks—everything from the fundamentals to applied methods. A few months in, with support from my fiancée, I quit my job to focus entirely on learning.
On the side, I took around 50 Udemy courses on topics the boot camp didn’t cover, like transformers and reinforcement learning—most of them only cost about $10. When I started applying for jobs, I even built an AI bot to automate my LinkedIn applications. But I got nothing but rejections, and I began to think I’d made a huge mistake.
But during that same time, I was building personal AI projects and sharing them online. One of those projects caught the attention of a founder who was using AI to analyze boxing movements. The opportunity didn’t end up going anywhere, but it made me realize I didn’t need to wait for someone to hire me—I could freelance.
A LinkedIn connection helped me land my first paid project: using AI to track chicken behavior on a farm. Then I worked on 2D-to-3D modeling jobs. Soon, I was juggling multiple freelance contracts and learning more than I ever expected to in such a short time.
Eventually, I went to a tech conference and met a cybersecurity vendor who wanted to start an AI consulting company. We stayed in touch, and six months later he called and invited me to meet his cofounder. Because of my freelancing experience, I had perspective to share. They brought me on. Now, a year later, I’m the Head of AI. I even mentor interns who have master’s degrees and PhDs. It still feels surreal.
Looking back, the boot camp was incredibly valuable, and earning a certificate from LSU helped—but it only got me about halfway there. The rest came from self-study, side projects, and staying curious. AI changes fast. If you’re not constantly learning and experimenting, you’ll get left behind. If you only ever do the bare minimum, you can't expect exceptional results.