Why I’m sharing this old blog post

I’m sharing a decade-old post I made on LinkedIn because, reading it back now, a lot of the core ideas still hold up.

The tooling has changed a lot. AI has introduced new ways of building, from RAG pipelines to vector databases and smarter query patterns. But the fundamentals haven’t really moved. Good engineering is still about discipline, clarity, and execution. The same ETL mindset that mattered back then still matters now.

What has changed is the scope of the work. Engineers today are expected to do more. Product engineers, software engineers, and quality engineers are all overlapping in responsibility. Quality isn’t something you hand off anymore—it’s something you build into the system from the start.

The Original Post

Hello! Thank you for viewing my first blog post. Just to give you all some background on myself, I am an IT Solutions Architect for Quilmont an automation firm in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A graduate of Coastal Carolina University, I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration - Management, focusing in Operations Technology Management and Computer Science. My certification is through the American Software Test Qualification Board as a Certified Tester, Foundation Level. After receiving my Associates Degree from Limestone College, I worked as a Software Test Engineer for SiriusXM Satellite Radio. That is where I fell in love with quality control!

I began with mobile regression testing on the SiriusXM app, learning about requirement documentation, and eliminating redundancies in test cases. After learning the ins and outs of Sirius' testing procedure, I was able to demonstrate my knowledge on Type Approval testing for OEM head units. Testing involved running scripts in which manual execution of test steps were recorded and logged. I was responsible for the execution of the entire test plan, bug reporting, and retesting. Through TA I was introduced to my first computer language, Ruby Script.

I have always had a fascination with how things work. This language was extremely foreign to me and brand new. I knew that if I wanted to understand how the in-house software runs these test, I would have to dive in and learn the technical skills of a programmer. I started with picking the brains of my coworkers, which is my first piece of advice, if you want to understand something, don't be afraid to ask! But it didn't stop there; online resources can be your best friend if you want to learn a new language. Google or YouTube have a plethora of knowledge just waiting to be explored! So for my second piece of advice, be self-motivated to find the resources necessary to achieve your goal!

When I went back to school to finish my BA, I knew what to focus on to further my career. I took several courses that introduced HTML, CSS, Javascript, ASP.Net, PHP, MySQL, SQL, and Python. But again, it doesn't stop there! I went back to my good buddy Google and started researching these languages deeper and introducing myself to new ones like VB Script, C, C++, C#, and Java. For beginners I recommend starting with VB Script or Python to get the general concepts of coding down. When I moved into Java and object oriented programming, I found the concepts of VB Script and Python were the building blocks. These are the technical skills I believe all IT Professionals should have at least a general knowledge of.

Advice to all searching for a job in IT: certification, certification, certification! In whatever specific field or language you wish to pursue there are resources out there to become certified and a master of your craft. This will connect you with other like-minded professionals devoted to the advancement of that particular field. Getting a degree is huge, but do not underestimate the power of internships and certifications. Having experience or certification demonstrates to employers you have a technical background for the position you are looking for!

Through my position now with Quilmont, I am able to demonstrate my knowledge of several languages I've learned throughout the years. This to me is a rewarding feeling because I went into IT from a management prospective and came out technically strong. When we get a new project in a different language I go back to my buddies Google and YouTube to give myself a refresher, so once the wheels start turning I take off, like riding a bike!

I believe if more managers gained technical knowledge of coding and writing scripts, firms can be more successful as a whole. As the IT world changes, companies are adapting strategies to tie Development and Operations together. There is not a better time to be getting into the field for a person like me. With an operations background, gaining the technical knowledge of software development has given me the ability to create business solutions that maximize client efficiency, and you can too! Thanks again for reading and don't miss my next post on Automation and the changes it has made on the IT world!

What I’d tell young me today

If I could go back and give myself advice, I’d still say: keep building technical skills.

But I’d add something I didn’t fully appreciate at the time—quality is what really sets you apart.

AI has made things faster and more capable, but it hasn’t removed the need for discipline. If anything, it’s made it more important. You still need strong code review practices, clear communication, and a solid understanding of how your system actually works.

The lines between roles have blurred. The best teams today don’t separate “dev” and “QA” the way they used to. Everyone is responsible for the outcome.

That means:

• engineers think about testing early
• quality engineers think about architecture and design
• product thinking is part of engineering work

The shift-left mindset is even stronger now than it was back then. I mean even designers are working in Github and able to augment thier XD check work with MCP tools like Figma, Atlassian, and Storybook!

The tools will keep changing; they always do. The discipline doesn’t.

And that’s probably the biggest thing that still holds true from this post.

I’m looking forward to reading this again in another decade!