Experience & Projects

IT Infrastructure & Cybersecurity Ecosystem Development

Since 2022, I have been actively building and scaling a practical, industry-aligned IT infrastructure and cybersecurity education ecosystem at SDU University. My focus is on bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world engineering practices.

I transformed existing academies such as Red Hat Academy and Cisco Networking Academy by introducing a strong hands-on approach, modern infrastructure, and closer alignment with industry expectations. At the same time, I independently launched and developed new partnerships with global vendors including Fortinet, Check Point Software Technologies, Palo Alto Networks, CompTIA, Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, Splunk, and TryHackMe — building them from scratch within the university.

A key part of this work was designing a fully functional lab ecosystem. I established a dedicated server room with enterprise-grade infrastructure, including rack servers, UPS systems, and cooling, enabling students to access virtualized cyber ranges and lab environments via RDP and SSH. This infrastructure supports hands-on learning in cybersecurity, DevOps, cloud, and system administration.

In parallel, I created collaborative lab spaces where students can work on personal and team projects, helping them move beyond theory and develop real engineering skills.

Academic Partnerships & Impact

Industry Collaboration

I actively build bridges between academia and industry. I established partnerships with companies such as Cloud24.kz, qCloudy, and Marvel Kazakhstan.

Within the collaboration with Freedom Holding Corp., I lead the cybersecurity education direction, co-developing and delivering courses in SOC Analysis, Network Security, and Cloud Security / DevSecOps, acting as a bridge between students, university, and industry experts.

I also regularly engage companies such as PS Cloud Services and JK Partners for guest lectures, workshops, and student engagement. I actively participate in industry events and bring students along to expose them to real-world networking and opportunities.

I founded CYCNET Community in 2022 as a student-driven ecosystem focused on Computer Networks, Cybersecurity, Linux, and DevOps.

CYCNET is not just a community — it is a structured development pipeline. I designed a workflow where students start with fundamental training, progress through vendor academies, obtain certifications, and transition into internships and full-time roles in industry.

I personally lead recruitment and interviews, define individual development plans, and work closely with companies to create opportunities for students. Through this approach, many participants successfully transition into professional roles.

The community emphasizes hands-on learning, real-world projects, and collaboration with industry experts. It also serves as a platform for organizing technical events, competitions, and workshops, helping students build both technical and communication skills.

At Narxoz University, I contributed to the development of cybersecurity education by delivering practice-oriented courses aligned with international standards such as CompTIA Security+ and Cisco Cybersecurity Essentials.

In addition to teaching, I played a key role in establishing industry collaboration by contributing to the launch of Check Point and Fortinet academic initiatives within the university. This helped expand the practical cybersecurity ecosystem and provided students with access to vendor-driven training and certification pathways.

I designed and delivered hands-on courses based on Fortinet NSE4 (FortiOS Administration) as well as SOC-focused training built on TryHackMe learning paths. These courses emphasized real-world scenarios, including network defense, threat detection, and basic security operations workflows.

My teaching approach focused on bridging theory with practice, guiding students through labs, simulations, and practical exercises in areas such as network security, incident analysis, and system hardening. I also contributed to strengthening the cybersecurity track and aligning it with current industry requirements.

I contributed to internal security processes related to IT audit and access control within a large-scale financial ecosystem.

I conducted IT audits to ensure compliance with internal security policies and access control standards, reviewing user roles, permissions, and access governance practices. As part of this work, I identified inconsistencies and supported improvements to strengthen overall security posture.

In addition, I developed an educational guide for the IT audit process, helping standardize internal practices and simplify onboarding for new team members.

This experience provided hands-on exposure to enterprise-level security operations, audit methodologies, and real-world governance challenges in a high-load fintech environment.

As a Student Representative for ASIIN, I participated in an international accreditation process at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, representing student interests during the evaluation of academic programs.

I engaged with auditors, faculty members, and university management to provide insights into the quality of education, curriculum structure, and overall student experience. My contribution supported alignment with international academic standards and quality assurance requirements.

I supervised a team of technical support specialists responsible for resolving IT issues and maintaining stable system operations.

I managed daily support workflows, handled escalations, and ensured efficient resolution of user and infrastructure-related problems. In addition, I developed troubleshooting guides and internal training programs to improve team performance, standardize processes, and reduce resolution time.

This role strengthened my skills in team leadership, IT service management, and operational efficiency within a production environment.