Working in IT means continuous learning, and no one does that better than BJ Dela Cruz! With a learning streak of over 1,000 consecutive days on Pluralsight, over 100 certifications, and other awards, BJ is an example of what we should all try and achieve!
Check out this interview where BJ shares his story and how he managed to achieve so much!
Video Summary
- Introduction and Background: BJ De La Cruz, a lead IT specialist at the Department of Treasury, has achieved the remarkable feat of listening to Pluralsight for over 1,000 consecutive days. He has extensive experience in Java development and cloud computing.
- Learning Routine: BJ emphasizes the importance of consistent learning, suggesting at least 10 minutes a day. He often watches Pluralsight videos during breaks and finds this routine helps him stay updated and motivated.
- Certifications: BJ holds an impressive 114 certifications, using them as a motivator to test his knowledge and skills. He advises setting deadlines for certifications to stay focused and on track.
- Balancing Learning and Life: BJ balances his learning with work and personal life by taking breaks, exercising, and setting aside specific times for learning. He also encourages talking to employers about setting aside work time for training.
- Future Goals: BJ is currently focused on generative AI and its applications in development. He is excited about new certifications in this field and continues to explore how technology can enhance his work.
For more information, read the transcript blog below, or watch the video above!
Video Transcript
Hello everyone! Today on the channel, we have someone special. I have the pleasure of introducing BJ De La Cruz, who did something I’ve never seen anyone else do before. He listened to over a thousand consecutive days of Pluralsight, which is an amazing achievement and a model for everyone working in IT. It shows that you always have to keep yourself up to date. Because I also want to learn how BJ did it, I managed to get him on the channel so I can learn some of his tricks on how we can stay up to date.
First of all, BJ, thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate it. We’ve been connected on LinkedIn for quite a few years now, but for everybody else, can you please tell us about yourself and what you do in your daily job?
Hi Vlad, thank you for having me. My name is BJ De La Cruz. I am currently a lead IT specialist at the Department of Treasury. I lead a team to develop web applications, so we do a lot of Java development and cloud computing where I work. I’ve been at the Bureau for about five years now, and before that, I worked at a company that collaborated with state agencies to develop web applications.
I’ve had tremendous experience with Spring web applications and have been programming in Java since I graduated from college, so it’s been about 20 years of professional development. Java was my first language, but I’ve also been learning other languages like Python and JavaScript. Now, with generative AI on the forefront, I’ve been working a lot with learning how to write with tools like ChatGPT. It’s a great time to be working in software development.
Absolutely, and it’s funny because Java is also the first language I learned in college. So when I went to study computer science, we learned Java, and that’s how I learned to code as well. That is amazing. But now, if we focus on your amazing Pluralsight achievement of over a thousand consecutive days, what motivated you to do that?
I tell my developers to learn at least 10 minutes a day because I do that a lot. Every time I take a break, I open up the Pluralsight app and watch a couple of video clips, keeping that cycle going. I often do it first thing in the morning to maintain the streak, but I also do it throughout the day. It’s great to watch a course if you’re in the middle of trying to solve a problem—just take a break and watch something. You might get something new out of it. I find that watching these courses on Pluralsight is very helpful because I am a visual learner. It feels good to learn new material, especially as technology changes. We do a lot of cloud computing at work, so the courses really help me with my job. That’s what keeps me motivated.
That’s awesome, and I love the way you said that you don’t need to do five hours every day. It only has to be about setting up that rhythm of learning something new every single day. If you had to do an average, how many hours a week do you spend studying and keeping up to date?
I try to target at least 30 minutes to an hour per day, so on average, probably about four to five hours per week. The courses on Pluralsight are about two hours each, so I try to do at least two courses a week. I’ve been doing a variety of courses from cloud computing to programming languages, AWS, and other topics. There are a lot of courses out there that I really like, such as Logic Apps and Power Apps. Those are some of my favorite courses to take because they demonstrate low-code and no-code solutions, which are very interesting to me.
That’s amazing. I know that while I’m a Pluralsight author, so I’m biased if you ask me what’s the best learning platform, do you use other platforms besides Pluralsight for studying?
Yes, I do. LinkedIn Learning is my second choice. Right now, I’m on a 30-day LinkedIn Learning challenge, which is a personal challenge I created. Basically, when a new month starts, I do it for 30 days. This month, I’m doing it for November, so be on the lookout in my feed for some LinkedIn Learning courses. Udemy is another platform I use.
I have a personal subscription to Udemy, and there are quite a few courses there that have helped me with my certification journey. Recently, my Bureau gave me a license for A Cloud Guru, so I’ve been learning more through that platform as well. I’ve taken about four courses on A Cloud Guru, focusing on Azure functions and cloud computing. I really like that platform too. So, those three platforms, plus Pluralsight, are my go-to for learning.
Do you have any preference for which platform you use for different types of learning?
LinkedIn Learning is great for technical courses and personal development courses. As a lead developer, I also want to develop my personal and team-building skills, so LinkedIn Learning is very helpful for that. Udemy is where I go for niche courses that I can’t find elsewhere. For example, there are some MuleSoft courses on Udemy that are very useful. A Cloud Guru is excellent for hands-on labs, which I really enjoy. Creating my own Azure function and seeing it in action is very rewarding. So, I use different platforms based on what I need to learn.
How do you balance work, learning, and personal life?
Learn to take breaks. For me, I like to exercise, which helps me balance learning and other activities. Taking breaks is important because constantly watching videos can lead to headaches or fatigue. I recommend learning for at least 10 minutes a day, up to an hour, and then setting aside time for family and other hobbies. This gives you time to process what you’ve learned and keeps you motivated. Talk to your employer about setting aside work time for training if you don’t have time after work. My employer encourages learning, which has been very helpful for me.
What are your next goals, whether learning or certification-related?
Right now, I’m very interested in generative AI and how it can help developers write better code. I’ve seen how tools like Copilot can assist with debugging and development. I’m looking forward to new certifications in generative AI, such as the one from Nvidia. I have a lot of projects on my plate, but I’m excited about diving into this field and continuing to learn and build with new technologies.
BJ, thank you so much for taking the time today and for sharing your journey. Any final thoughts for everyone watching?
Just keep learning. If you keep learning, your mind will keep expanding, and you might find something you really enjoy. Keep an open mind and continue to learn new things, especially in IT, as it constantly changes. Thank you so much for watching, and see you soon!
