Featured Student: Rob Gilbert
From Army EOD Team Leader to Cybersecurity Professional
Rob Gilbert is no stranger to high-pressure environments. As a former U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team Leader and battalion operations sergeant, Rob spent years conducting disciplined threat assessments, making rapid decisions, and coordinating incidents calmly when it mattered most. Today's he's applying that same mindset as he transitions from IT operations into cybersecurity at Centriq.
Building on a Strong IT Foundation
Before starting is cybersecurity training, Rob built a solid background in IT operations, including change management, incident management, and asset management. He's led help desk and application support teams in fast-paced environments and is skilled at monitoring, triaging, and resolving complex technical issues. Those operational skills, combined with his military leadership experience, give Rob a unique perspective on security and incident response.
Why Centriq?
Rob chose Centriq because he wanted the best path in Kansas City to turn his configuration management experience into real, job‑ready cybersecurity skills. Centriq’s hands‑on curriculum and industry‑connected instructors stood out immediately.
Favorite Subject: Subnetting
One of Rob’s favorite topics has been subnetting. He enjoys the logical, technical nature of the work and the immediate feedback it provides. "Once you learn the rules, the problems become straightforward and satisfying to solve." That clear cause-and-effect has helped Rob build confidence in networking fundamentals that directly support security work, from understanding traffic flow to designing secure network architectures.
What's Next for Rob?
Rob is keeping his options open but remains focused on roles that build on both his past experience and his Centriq training. Operational security roles are at the top of his list, particularly in NOC or SOC environments where real-time monitoring, incident response, and threat hunting are core responsibilities. He's also interested in returning to configuration management with a stronger security focus, helping ensure systems are both stable and hardened against attack.
Long term, Rob is open to broader security roles that combine physical and cyber security, applying policy, practical controls, and technical defenses together. His ultimate goal is continued growth into advanced security engineering or incident response positions.
A Strong Future in Security
Rob’s calm leadership, operational discipline, and hands‑on technical mindset make him a natural fit for cybersecurity. We’re excited to see how he leverages his Centriq experience and military background as he takes the next step in his career.
Congratulations Rob!