Meet the Trainer: Shawn Powers
If you’ve ever felt intimidated by tech — like the learning curve was just too steep — Shawn Powers gets it. In fact, his journey into IT started with skipping engineering classes to tinker in the computer lab. (Sorry, Michigan Tech.)
Over the past decade-plus, Shawn has worn many hats: Cisco Academy founder, high school teacher, Linux Journal editor, and CBT Nuggets Trainer since 2009. He’s known for his deep expertise in Linux, DevOps, and Google Cloud and his ability to make these topics accessible to newcomers in the field.
Shawn believes that real career fulfillment starts with understanding, because you can’t love what you don’t know. He’s passionate about helping learners uncover skills they never knew they had, and maybe even discover a career path they didn’t know they’d love. For him, empowering others to succeed isn’t just part of the job — it’s the most rewarding part. Let’s get to know more about Shawn!
What inspired you to pursue a career in IT? It's a bit embarrassing, but when I went to college, I never planned on working in IT at all. I was an Electrical Engineer major at Michigan Tech, and found myself so fascinated with the computer systems that I skipped most of my engineering classes and just hung around the computer labs learning how networking worked. Back then there weren't any classes teaching computer networking, so poking around the labs was the only way to learn! So my journey to IT started with being a really bad engineering student!
If you could only teach one IT concept for the rest of your career, what would it be and why? Linux and Open Source tools. Early in my career I had a terrible car accident, and during the year it took me to recover and re-learn my trade, the only thing I could afford was Open Source software. It was during that year I really fell in love with Linux and all the other Open Source tools that work with it. Linux changed my life for the simple reason that it was accessible to me, even when I didn't have any resources at all.
How would you describe your teaching style in three words? Make. It. Simple. With most IT topics, there's such a steep learning curve that it can intimidate even the brightest of learners. As someone who constantly learns new information, I can assure you that I get frustrated and overwhelmed. Breaking down that steep learning curve into something easier to understand is honestly what I think my job entails. If something is confusing, I'll start out a lesson by saying, "OK, this topic can be REALLY confusing!" Ignorance withers in the light, so I try to shine as much light into the scary parts of learning as I can.
If you could give yourself one piece of advice when you started in tech, what would it be? Spend more time learning programming basics. When I was in college, the only Computer Science degrees were in programming. But I was so much more interested in networking that I didn't learn any dev skills. These days, so much of IT is DevOps-based, that having a weakness in development means a harder road to travel. Even if you don't plan to be a programmer, learn some programming skills.
The best part about being a trainer is…teaching complicated topics in a simple way. That feeling of overwhelm when approaching a brand-new topic can be so intimidating that folks just avoid learning a new topic. I enjoy making scary new topics easier to understand. Everyone always says, "If I can do it, anyone can do it." I like to make that a reality!
Can you describe some of the courses or topics you’ve been working on recently? The Google Cloud Digital Leader course was fun to create because, while it is certainly a Google-centric course, it's a look at the basics of cloud computing in general. Regardless of what cloud platform a learner might eventually use, the Cloud Digital Leader course is a great intro to cloud computing. I'm currently working on the Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE) cert prep course. It gives a well-rounded look at all the cloud features offered by Google.
Are there any tools or features you are particularly excited about teaching next? The old adage that "the cloud is just someone else's server" is true, but cloud computing has evolved such that things can be done in the cloud that simply can't be done on your own servers. I particularly enjoy how the backend services continue to get abstracted away more and more. Google Cloud Run can launch and scale containers without even worrying about managing a Kubernetes cluster. And one step further, Cloud Functions can take a snippet of code and handle all the container creation and deployment for you!
When I'm not making CBT Nuggets videos, you'll find me…blogging, making videos on YouTube, tinkering with my home lab, drawing my web comic, or fishing. I'm all over the Internet and on social media. Feel free to find me online: https://shawnp0wers.com
What’s a skill or hobby you have outside of IT that influences your approach to teaching or problem-solving? I like to DO stuff. I teach all sorts of IT skills, but when I'm not teaching them, I'm implementing them at home. I have a home lab, elaborate home automation, bird feeders with automatic livestreaming and motion detection, etc., etc. Whenever I'm teaching a topic, no matter how academic, I always try to think about it in a real-world situation. Often that situation is some project I've dreamed up just so I have a fun way to learn myself!
What’s the most common question learners ask you, and what’s your best advice for it? The most common question I get is, "Should I go to college or focus on certifications?" My answer is usually, "yes."
Seriously, though, while it's a great question, there's not a single best answer. Sometimes, a college degree means spending a lot of money when the degree doesn't help you get a job in the field at all. But, several large IT companies won't hire a candidate, regardless of experience, unless they have a bachelor's degree. (That degree often doesn't even need to be in a related field, which is mind-boggling, but nevertheless it's true. One of my close friends has a degree in Art History, but without the college degree, she wouldn't have been eligible for the IT job she's doing.)
My best advice is for folks to learn a wide variety of things in the IT field and see what really interests them. Then, look at the industry and see what sort of requirements there are for getting hired in that specific field. Build your education plan from there.
What’s a lesson or skill from outside of IT that you think is essential for tech professionals to learn? Communication. Whether you call it "soft skills" or "interpersonal skills," being able to communicate within and across disciplines is extremely valuable. In fact, if you are a good communicator, it can be that extra "thing" that gets you hired and promoted above peers with identical tech skills. Plus, if you have good communication skills, you'll do much better in your interviews!
Start Training with Shawn Powers
Shawn’s teaching philosophy is simple: Learn everything. Do what you love. And most importantly, be kind. That mindset comes through in everything he does — from making intimidating topics like cloud services or Linux feel approachable, to encouraging learners to explore all corners of IT until they find what clicks. Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about learning tech. It’s about building a life and career that feel like they’re truly yours.
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