Some stories illustrate the value of continuing education better than any statistic. The story of Sergio Yañez, a LACNIC Campus student, is one of them.
After graduating from the Military School of Engineering in La Paz, he went on to work at the Bolivian Space Agency (ABE), where he manages the VSAT network connecting remote terminals from telecommunications companies, public and private organizations, and Bolivian government institutions to their WANs.
He began his career in programming and operating systems at Bolivia’s National Intellectual Property Service. When the Bolivian government opened a scholarship program linked to the Space Agency and the TKSAT-1 satellite, he didn’t think twice. He was trained in China, distinguished himself among his peers, and was selected to join the ABE team — where he has worked ever since on the operation and utilization of a satellite with a 15-year service life.
The Campus as a Professional Development Tool
His path to LACNIC Campus began naturally. LACNIC was offering courses for the Bolivian Space Agency, and Sergio, along with several colleagues, started with the basic IPv6 courses.
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“I realized they covered new topics that interested me and that the courses were very well designed, so I kept taking them as they became available.”
What began as an initial exploration soon became a sustained learning journey. When certifications were introduced, his motivation grew even stronger: they offered a way to formally validate the knowledge he had gained.
Three Specializations: A Strategic Choice
Completing not just one, but all three Campus specializations was a deliberate choice, shaped by the uncertainty that comes with any career in technology.
“I realized they covered new topics that interested me and that the courses were very well designed, so I kept taking them as they became available.”
What began as an initial exploration soon became a sustained learning journey. When certifications were introduced, his motivation grew even stronger: they offered a way to formally validate the knowledge he had gained.
Three Specializations: A Strategic Choice
Completing not just one, but all three Campus specializations was a deliberate choice, shaped by the uncertainty that comes with any career in technology.
“Working at the Bolivian Space Agency with the TKSAT-1 satellite — a satellite with a limited service life — you never know what lies ahead. So I decided to make the most of every course as it became available.”
He started by taking things one course at a time. When certifications became available, he made sure to catch up so as not to miss the opportunity. The result: he completed all three LACNIC Campus specializations.
Putting Knowledge to Work
The impact was not limited to a certificate. He was able to directly apply the BGP configurations learned in the courses to the Bolivian Space Agency’s network. In addition, the tools covered in the Advanced Network Management course also proved useful for operating ABE’s NOC.
Among the courses that left the strongest impression on him, he highlights DNS Fundamentals: Modern Installation and Configuration:
“Before that course, I had no idea how much DNS could offer, or just how complex and useful it really is.”
He also speaks enthusiastically about the Wireless LAN and Data Center courses, particularly the practical challenges presented by the instructors.
A Platform in Constant Evolution
He describes his overall experience at the Campus as very positive: knowledgeable instructors with real-world experience and up-to-date expertise, who make you want to keep learning.
“The Campus is always improving, which makes it feel like it’s constantly kept up to date.”
For those still considering whether to begin a specialization, his advice is clear: “Start today. Basic courses are open year-round. They offer very useful information for managing, operating, designing, and implementing networks and network services —knowledge that could make a real difference in people’s careers and even help them start their own technology businesses.”
LACNIC Campus is a training platform open to the technical community across Latin America and the Caribbean. It offers basic, intermediate, and advanced courses organized into three specializations: ISP Network Operations, Campus Network Operations, and Data Center Network Operations.
