Back in 2022, I was working as a Pre-Sales Engineer when my manager, Luciano Gurgel, invited me to attend my first AWS Cloud Experience event in Curitiba. At the time, I was already using programming in my day-to-day activities to streamline repetitive but necessary tasks. Since I was also responsible for presenting our cloud and on-premise solutions, the event seemed like a great opportunity to expand my knowledge and improve my technical background. I gladly accepted the invitation.
Since 2017, I’ve traveled a lot—for client meetings, training sessions, and tech events. However, my participation in these events was usually as a representative at our company’s stand. That meant I was often focused on assisting clients rather than enjoying the event itself. But this Cloud Experience event was different—I was there to participate fully.
I attended every keynote with my full attention, soaking in every detail. I listened intently to the success stories from companies like MadeiraMadeira and Boticário, trying to absorb everything they shared. I heard Amazonians speak passionately about strategies and services that could revolutionize both large enterprises and small businesses. That day sparked something in me. I didn’t catch a software bug—I caught a different kind of bug: the cloud bug.
It’s funny how one event lit a fire under my curiosity and drive to learn. I’ve never seen myself as particularly clever, but I do consider myself dedicated and persistent. I don’t learn just by reading; I need to study and apply, study and apply, study and apply. It’s repetitive—almost annoying—but that’s how I grow.
That event marked the beginning of my cloud journey. I started studying and building side projects using AWS. It wasn’t easy and it took time, but I made it my goal. Most of the time wasn’t spent coding, but rather learning how to use infrastructure as a service.
I created VPCs, subnets, internet gateways, and connected EC2 instances. I configured security groups, application load balancers, Route 53, and HTTPS certificates. I learned how to use SNI on ALBs to handle multiple secure connections, set up auto-scaling groups, and fine-tuned listener rules and target groups. And of course, I didn’t forget about IAM roles—ensuring my EC2 instances had the correct permissions to access S3.
At first, I wasn’t aiming for certification—I just wanted to learn. But I found myself applying that knowledge in real scenarios at work. Eventually, in late 2023, I decided to pursue the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification. Did I take the test right away? Nope. I finally sat for it at the end of 2024. Why the delay? Life happened: work, my second degree, side projects, and balancing study time.
I kept taking small, consistent steps. Even when progress felt slow, I kept going. I often saw people online claiming the certification was easy—“just take this course and you’ll pass!” But for me, it wasn’t just about passing a test—it was about learning the cloud. That mindset made all the difference.
The week before the test, I focused on reviewing everything I had learned. The journey was rewarding, and I’ve continued studying AWS services ever since. My next goal? AWS Solutions Architect Associate. Let’s see where that path takes me.
I truly believe that people can change your life by giving you opportunities. As Luciano Gurgel always says: “The merit is all yours.” He saw my passion for programming and cloud, and encouraged me to go beyond my own expectations. That kind of leadership can spark real transformation.