Nighthawk: Josh Blasdell and Choosing Technology as His Career

What made you seek a career opportunity in tech?

Josh: I like the tech field’s unique combination of objectivity and creativity. There’s an almost infinite number of solutions to any complex technical problem. You can explore and create to your heart’s content. At the same time, it’s easy to develop metrics and measure the objective success of your solution from many different viewpoints.

What does the future of tech look like for you?

Josh: I see two trends in tech that really excite me. One is the reduction and optimization of overhead in infrastructure. This includes containerizing apps using tools like Docker and Kubernetes, and even eliminating applications when possible and just running FaaS! The other is the acceleration of updates for the same hardware. One of the biggest problems in technology is how old tech hangs around, vulnerable and slow, for years after release with minimal support. The hardware-agnostic nature of containerized applications, combined with the kind of abstraction exemplified in Google’s Project Treble and its ilk, makes me excited for a more flexible and efficient future for hardware.

What have you learned from AWS that you can use in your current field?

Josh: One of the things I just picked up recently is CodePipeline. My four-year degree didn’t focus much at all on DevOps pipelines, but they’re essential in the field now. I’m finding AWS CodePipeline, and the other applications it ties into are a great way to get better with my knowledge of what makes a great pipeline.

Where do you see yourself in five, 10, and 15 years?

Josh: One of my main drivers behind continuously learning is to keep improving as a person and as a professional. While I’m employed, I want to perpetually increase the value I generate for both my employer and our customers. In the next few years, I’m focused on learning more about cloud best practices, people management, operations, code pipelines, security… some widely applicable topics, so that I can understand many facets of the business I’m in and better manage tech teams. I also hope to keep automating processes and creating new solutions that keep my team and me moving on cool new tech, instead of getting stuck with old or repetitive processes.

What made you pick NOVA as the institution in which to progress your career?

Josh: I picked NOVA as the best place for me to build on my cybersecurity and Cloud skills for several reasons. It was a standout option far above all the others. NOVA was closer to home, had more paths available (Cloud options, cybersecurity options, even Chinese classes), was more cost-effective, had the best tech stack (Canvas and Gmail-based mail, among others), had remote options (handy when you’re busy)… and the Nighthawks logo is really cool!