Aja Brown

On any given Tuesday, Aja Brown is monitoring complex IT security infrastructure across 20+ brands in multiple countries. As a Junior Network Security Engineer working in Global Security Operations, her day-to-day life is fast-paced, unpredictable, and high-stakes—exactly the kind of dynamic environment she always dreamed of having.

It’s the kind of high-level engineering role Aja once thought was strictly reserved for computer science majors and math geniuses. 

“I always thought ‘engineer’ meant a heavy math and science background… but I actually am a security engineer on a daily basis. This was my ceiling shatter, for sure.”

To understand how she got into this room, however, you have to rewind to a cold Monday morning in Indianapolis—standing in a warehouse at 6:00 AM, exhausted, staring at her laptop screen after working a 12-hour night shift.

Before tech, Aja was building an entrepreneurial career as a mortgage broker. But in sales, if you don’t show up, you don’t make money. When a sudden health crisis forced her to step back, her income stopped. Facing financial pressure while navigating her health, she began exploring new career paths that could offer long-term stability.

While scrolling through Instagram, an ad for Per Scholas Indianapolis caught her eye. She had zero IT background, no technical training, and no exposure to people in tech who looked like her or came from her background. She decided to apply anyway.

Once accepted into a remote cohort, Aja faced a massive hurdle: she couldn’t work during class hours, but she still needed to support herself. To make ends meet, she took on side jobs.

“It was a lot of sacrifices—going out, sleep, etc. But it was definitely all worth it in the end, and I would do it all over again if I had to.”

Although Aja was in a virtual cohort alongside peers from New Jersey, Ohio, and New York, the group built an incredible bond. The cohort set up late-night study sessions before and after class to review networking basics and cybersecurity concepts, ensuring no learner was left behind.

Because Aja was the only learner from Indianapolis in her virtual cohort, she actively attended Per Scholas events in Indianapolis, building relationships with alumni and community leaders.

Her work ethic culminated in dual certifications—the CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) and the Splunk Core Certified User. Even more historic, Aja became the very first person in Indianapolis to graduate from the Per Scholas Cybersecurity program.

To top it off, she graduated as the Valedictorian of her cohort—a deeply personal victory: “I had to drop out of college due to financial reasons, which really took a toll on my confidence. Accomplishing this program, becoming Valedictorian… it brought it all back for me.”

Immediately after graduation, Aja landed a competitive apprenticeship that quickly led to her current full-time role as a Junior Network Security Engineer. Her employer noted that her Per Scholas training and prior career experience made her stand out immediately among candidates.

Since stepping into her role, she hasn’t slowed her pace of learning, earning CompTIA A+, Scrum Master, and multiple Fortinet certifications to sharpen her technical toolset.

Aja is also deeply committed to lifting others up as she climbs. She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member and Alumni Ambassador for Per Scholas Indianapolis, mentoring incoming cohorts, attending campus events, and offering guidance to new learners facing the same sacrifices she once made.

Her long-term career roadmap is carefully mapped out:

1. Complete Her Bachelor’s Degree 
2. Earn Her Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity
3. Pursue an MBA in Executive Leadership

Her ultimate goal? Stepping into an executive leadership role in tech. What started as an Instagram ad and a bit of curiosity transformed into a career trajectory with no ceiling in sight. That’s the Per Scholas way.