From Customer Service to High-Demand: Carla Campos’s Pivot into Cybersecurity

For Carla Campos, technology was never something she stumbled into. Long before moving to the United States, she was already working in a help desk role at a call center in Costa Rica, solving technical problems and helping customers every day.

But when she moved to the U.S., she quickly realized that experience alone wasn’t enough.

“I had the skills, but I needed a way to prove them,” Campos said. “That’s when I realized I needed certifications and a degree to help validate what I already knew.”

After arriving in the United States, Campos worked in customer service and hospitality, including supporting customers through email, chat, and phone for a major telecommunications company. While she appreciated the opportunities, she always found herself wanting to get back into technology.

“I consistently gravitated back to technology,” Campos said. “Committing to a dedicated career path and earning certifications confirmed that I was finally moving in the right direction.”

As she explored different educational options, Campos chose Miami Dade College to help build on the experience she already had. She enrolled in Enterprise Cloud Computing and later continued into the Cybersecurity Analyst Career and College Certificate program.

“It wasn’t just the technical classes that helped me,” Campos said. “The general education courses like psychology, ethics, and art changed the way I approached problems and worked with other people.”

While at Miami Dade College, Campos gained hands-on experience through projects in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. She completed a cloud computing capstone analyzing a real business case, built an AI model to predict price movements and sales indicators, and participated in cybersecurity labs and hackathons where she practiced ethical hacking, malware analysis, system reconnaissance, and defensive security techniques. She also worked as an auditor assistant on a SOC 2 Type 2 engagement while attending AI workshops, student clubs, and career fairs through the college.

In 2021, Campos reached an important milestone when she earned her AWS Cloud Architect certification along with her Career and College Certificate in Enterprise Cloud Computing from Miami Dade College.

That same year, she transitioned from her role as a Pre-Arrival Specialist at Marriott into a Platform Support Agent position supporting TikTok at Atento.

“That shift not only increased my income but significantly boosted my self-confidence,” Campos said. “It motivated me to set even higher academic and professional goals.”

As her career continued to grow, Campos enrolled in Miami Dade College’s Cybersecurity Analyst program in 2023. She says earning her Security+ certification became the moment she knew cybersecurity was the career path she wanted to pursue.

Support from Miami Dade College professors, along with opportunities through its AI and EnTEC networks, eventually helped her secure a governance, risk, and compliance internship. By the winter of 2025, she had accepted a full-time onsite position in the cybersecurity field.

The journey wasn’t always easy.

Campos balanced school, work, and financial responsibilities while pursuing her education. She relied on EnTEC grants and scholarships to help pay for school, while Miami Tech Works provided additional wraparound support to help remove barriers outside the classroom. She also had to completely change the way she studied.

“I had to stop memorizing information and start understanding it,” Campos said. “I rebuilt my study habits, learned from classmates, and worked with my employer so I could balance work and school.”

Today, Campos is finishing her Associate’s degree and plans to begin her Bachelor’s degree in spring 2027. She hopes to combine her background in cloud architecture and cybersecurity as she continues advancing her career.

“My goal is to become a Security Architect,” Campos said. “I want to be someone who doesn’t just plan security procedures but helps organizations implement them across every department.”

Looking back, Campos credits Miami Dade College for helping prepare her for the next stage of her career. Beyond technical knowledge, she says the college introduced her to mentors, internship opportunities, and a professional network that helped her continue moving forward.

For students considering a career in technology, Campos encourages them to take advantage of every resource available.

She recommends applying for grants and scholarships, regularly checking with Miami Dade College’s Workforce department for internships, updating resumes every semester, and continuing to apply for entry-level opportunities even after facing rejection.

She also believes technical knowledge is only part of what employers are looking for.

“Certifications and degrees open doors,” Campos said. “But confidence, communication skills, and showing employers you’re willing to learn are what really help you build a career.”

Today, Campos’ journey has come full circle. What started years ago in a help desk role in Costa Rica has grown into a career in cloud computing and cybersecurity, proving that experience, persistence, and continued learning can open new opportunities.