Phase 1: Modern Technology Foundations (Weeks 1–4)
Objective: Build the modern technology foundation every AI professional needs. Establish a professional digital presence.
🎯 Expected Outcomes
By completing this phase:
- Solid understanding of what AI is and how it transforms industries
- Functional basic Python for automation
- Git/GitHub operational with your own repository
- AZ-900 certification earned or in progress
- First functional agent built in Microsoft Copilot Studio (ready for project opportunities)
- LinkedIn and GitHub configured professionally
Week 1: AI Foundations
Objective
Understand how AI is changing the labor market and industries.
Main Resources
| Resource | Language | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elements of AI | 🇪🇸 Spanish | Free course | 6-8 hrs |
| Microsoft AI Skills Initiative | 🇬🇧 English | Learning paths | 4-6 hrs |
| Google AI Essentials | 🇬🇧 English (ES subs) | Course + certificate | 4-8 hrs |
| IBM AI Fundamentals | 🇬🇧 English | Course | 3 hrs |
Daily Activities (Monday to Friday)
| Day | Activity | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Elements of AI — Chapters 1-2 | 2 hrs |
| Tuesday | Elements of AI — Chapters 3-4 | 2 hrs |
| Wednesday | Microsoft AI Skills — Module 1 | 2 hrs |
| Thursday | Google AI Essentials — Module 1 | 2 hrs |
| Friday | Reflection + learning journal | 1 hr |
Weekly Deliverables
-
Updated LinkedIn profile
- Headline: "IT Professional | Transitioning to AI & Cloud Security"
- About: Include forensics experience + AI vision
- Skills: Add AI, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity
-
GitHub account created
- Professional photo
- Descriptive bio
- Profile README
-
Learning Journal (document in GitHub)
- What did I learn this week about AI?
- How does it connect to my prior experience?
- What opportunities do I see?
Connection to Prior Experience
Your background in digital forensics gives you an advantage:
- Pattern analysis → foundation of Machine Learning
- Chain of custody → AI Governance and audit trails
- Investigation → analytical thinking for AI
- Documentation → transferable skills for AI compliance
Week 2: Python for AI Professionals
Objective
Basic Python programming focused on automation and data handling.
Main Resources
| Resource | Language | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python para Todos (Py4E) | 🇪🇸 Spanish (subtitles) | Free course + book | 10-12 hrs |
| Microsoft Learn: Python | 🇪🇸 Spanish | Learning Path | 6 hrs |
| Codecademy Python | 🇬🇧 English | Interactive | 8 hrs |
| Automate the Boring Stuff | 🇬🇧 English | Free book | Reference |
Daily Plan
| Day | Topic | Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Variables, data types, strings | Py4E Cap 1-2 |
| Tuesday | Conditionals and loops | Py4E Cap 3-5 |
| Wednesday | Functions | Py4E Cap 4 |
| Thursday | Files and CSV | Py4E Cap 7 |
| Friday | Basic APIs (requests) | Microsoft Learn |
| Saturday | Project of the week | — |
🔨 Project: Security Log Automator
"""
Proyecto: Security Log Collector
Objetivo: Leer archivos de logs, extraer eventos críticos, generar CSV
Conexión con forensics: Automatización de lo que antes hacías manualmente
"""
# Habilidades demostradas:
# - Lectura de archivos
# - Parsing de texto
# - Escritura de CSV
# - Funciones reutilizables
Deliverable: GitHub repository with:
- Functional script
- README.md explaining the project
- Input/output example
- Documentation on how to run it
Week 3: Git and GitHub
Objective
Master the Git workflow for code and documentation management.
Main Resources
| Resource | Language | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Skills | 🇬🇧 English | Interactive | 4-6 hrs |
| Pro Git Book | 🇪🇸 Spanish | Free book | Reference |
| Microsoft Learn: Git | 🇪🇸 Spanish | Learning Path | 3 hrs |
| Git Immersion | 🇬🇧 English | Labs | 2 hrs |
| GitHub Foundations (GH-900) — free prep path | 🇬🇧 English | Cert quick-win (free prep) | Reference |
Daily Plan
| Day | Topic | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Installation, config, first commit | GitHub Skills: Intro |
| Tuesday | Branches, merge, conflicts | GitHub Skills: Branch |
| Wednesday | Pull requests, reviews | GitHub Skills: PR |
| Thursday | GitHub Pages, basic Actions | Static deploy |
| Friday | Repo organization, templates | Create portfolio repo |
🔨 Project: Professional Portfolio Repository
Create and publish an organized repository with:
portfolio/
├── README.md # Presentación profesional
├── projects/
│ └── security-log-collector/ # Proyecto semana 2
├── certifications/ # Tracking de certificaciones
├── notes/ # Notas de aprendizaje
└── docs/ # Documentación
Deliverable: Public GitHub repository with a professional structure.
Week 4: Cloud Fundamentals (Azure)
Objective
Understand cloud computing and prepare for the AZ-900 certification.
Main Resources
| Resource | Language | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Learn: AZ-900 | 🇪🇸 Spanish | Learning Path | 8-10 hrs |
| Azure Fundamentals (YouTube) | 🇬🇧 English | Video series | 6 hrs |
| AZ-900 Study Guide | 🇪🇸 Spanish | Official guide | Reference |
| Cloud Computing Concepts | 🇬🇧 English | Course | 4 hrs |
Daily Plan
| Day | AZ-900 Module | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Module 1 | Cloud computing concepts |
| Tuesday | Module 2 | Benefits of using cloud |
| Wednesday | Module 3 | Types of cloud services |
| Thursday | Module 4 | Azure architecture and services |
| Friday | Module 5 | Identity, governance, compliance |
| Saturday | Practice | Practice exam + review |
Certification: AZ-900
- Cost: $99 USD (discounts available)
- Exam language: Available in Spanish
- Format: 40-60 questions, 45 minutes
- Passing score: 700/1000
- Recommended preparation: 2 weeks of study (start this week, complete in week 5)
Connection to Prior Experience
- IT Management → You already understand infrastructure, now in cloud
- Forensics → Cloud forensics is a growing field
- Operations → Cloud Operations (CloudOps) is high demand
🚀 Priority Module: Microsoft Copilot Studio (Fast-Track)
Copilot Studio is low-code/no-code: it does not require Python or advanced cloud skills, so you can start from Day 1 in parallel with the previous weeks. With real project opportunities on the horizon, this module makes you ready to build agents in weeks, not months. It is the highest immediate market-return skill in this phase.
Objective
Build, test, publish, and govern a functional agent (copilot) in Microsoft Copilot Studio, and validate the skill with an official verifiable credential.
What Copilot Studio is (context)
Microsoft's graphical platform for creating conversational and autonomous agents that answer with generative AI over your data (knowledge grounding), execute actions through agent flows / Power Automate, and publish to Teams, websites, M365 Copilot, and other channels. It is the evolution of Power Virtual Agents.
Main Resources (verified)
| Resource | Language | Type | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Copilot Studio documentation | 🇪🇸 Spanish | Docs | Free |
| Learning Path: Create agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio | 🇬🇧 English | Learning Path (9 modules, with labs) | Free |
| Copilot Studio Agent Academy | 🇬🇧 English | Practical curriculum by ranks + missions | Free |
| Agent in a Day — Workshop | 🇬🇧 English | Guided workshop | Free |
| Copilot Studio Samples (GitHub) | 🇬🇧 English | Reusable examples | Free |
Copilot Studio offers a free trial so you can practice at no cost. Activate it from the product page to get a real environment where you can build your first agent.
Critical Components to Master
These are the blocks that separate "I built a demo chatbot" from "I can deliver a business-ready agent":
| # | Component | Why it is critical |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Topics and trigger phrases | Conversational design: how the agent understands and starts flows |
| 2 | Generative answers + knowledge grounding | AI answers over YOUR sources (SharePoint, sites, docs) — reduces hallucinations |
| 3 | Entities and variables | Capture and reuse user data inside the conversation |
| 4 | Agent flows / Power Automate | Make the agent execute actions (create ticket, query system, send email) |
| 5 | Autonomous triggers and error handling | Agents that act on events, with fallback and human hand-off |
| 6 | Multi-channel publishing | Deploy to Teams, web, and M365 Copilot |
| 7 | Responsible AI and governance | Authentication, data scope, DLP, and content control (aligns with NIST AI RMF — see Phase 4) |
Learning Path (2 weeks in parallel, ~1 hr/day)
| Stage | Focus | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1-2 | Foundations + activate free trial | Create your first "Hello world" agent |
| Days 3-4 | Topics, entities, variables | Design a real conversational flow |
| Days 5-6 | Generative answers + knowledge | Connect your own knowledge source |
| Days 7-8 | Agent flows / Power Automate | Make the agent execute an action |
| Days 9-10 | Autonomous triggers + error handling | Add autonomous behavior + hand-off |
| Days 11-12 | Publish + governance | Deploy to Teams + review security/RAI |
🔨 Project: Help Desk / Onboarding Agent
Build an agent that solves a real business problem and demonstrates the 7 components:
- Answers FAQs using a knowledge base (generative answers)
- Captures user data with entities/variables
- Executes an action through an agent flow (e.g., log a request)
- Escalates to a human when it cannot resolve (hand-off)
- Published in Teams and documented
Deliverable: GitHub repository with: business case description, agent diagram (topics + flows), screenshots of the working agent, and a 5-minute recorded demo. This project is direct evidence for Copilot Studio project opportunities.
🏅 Official credential (verifiable quick win)
Microsoft offers Applied Skills: credentials based on an interactive lab (not a multiple-choice exam), free or low cost, that validate that you really know how to build agents:
| Credential | What it evaluates | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Create agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio | Create and publish an end-to-end agent | learn.microsoft.com |
| Enhance agents with autonomous capabilities | Agent flows, autonomous triggers, error handling, and hand-off | learn.microsoft.com |
Phase goal: earn at least the "Create agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio" Applied Skill. It is a LinkedIn badge that demonstrates practical capability — exactly what a client or employer wants to see before assigning a project.
📋 Phase 1 Checklist
- LinkedIn updated with new professional focus
- GitHub account with complete profile
- Elements of AI completed
- Functional basic Python (log script)
- Git workflow mastered
- Portfolio repository created
- AZ-900 Learning Path completed
- AZ-900 exam scheduled or completed
- Copilot Studio: free trial activated + first agent built
- Project: Help Desk / Onboarding Agent published in Teams
- Applied Skill "Create agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio" earned (or in progress)
- Learning journal up to date