Think You're Too Late?
Experience Is Your Edge.
At 30, 40, or 50, you're not behind. You have something fresh grads don't:
decade(s) of real-world problem-solving. Let's leverage that.
Age Feels Like a Barrier.
It's Actually an Asset.
You see 25-year-olds with ML degrees and wonder if your window has closed.
Imposter syndrome whispers that you're too old to compete in a young field.
You worry employers will see your experience as baggage, not value.
Leverage Your Experience.
The World-Class AI Engineer Cohort
Career changers over 30 often land AI roles faster than fresh grads. Why? Domain expertise, communication skills, and the ability to ship production software. Learn to position your experience as competitive advantage, not career baggage.
Audit Your Edge
What domain expertise do you bring
Bridge the Gap
Add ML skills to existing strengths
Position & Win
Tell the story that lands offers
Meet Your Mentor
My aim has been the same for years: become a world-class AI engineer. Every career move I've made has been measured against that.
I started as a software tester on a $500/month internship in the Netherlands. Taught myself to code, learned to ship real systems, and worked my way to Senior Engineer at GitHub.
Then I left GitHub. I joined an AI research lab as Member of Technical Staff, where I currently build products for secure AI monitoring.
The cohort draws directly from my real experience so you can make progress fast.
I run this special cohort with only a few people because hands-on work with me is what it takes to bring you to become a world-class AI engineer.
Real Results
Vittor
AI Engineer
Built and deployed his portfolio piece, then landed the AI role
"The coaching played a huge part in my success. I focused on AI fundamentals, the certification path, and soft skills like professional writing. Having access to expert guidance gave me confidence during interviews and helped me feel I was on the right path.
I built my own platform (simple but functional) and deployed it on AWS. I used it in my portfolio and showcased it during interviews. The way complex topics were explained, especially the restaurant analogy for AI systems, really stuck with me. Focusing on doing the basics well was absolutely essential."
What You Will Get
8 Weekly Tuesday Sessions
3 hours each for 24 live hours total.
Project Scoping at Kickoff
We set the scope of what you'll ship and the milestones to get there before the live sessions start.
Code Reviews
Reviews of your code from Zen during the cohort.
Lifetime Demo Access
Every architecture demo is recorded and yours to keep.
Demo Day
You present what you built and get feedback from Zen, with a recording you can use in your portfolio.
12 Months Community Access
Included with the cohort.
Companies Want Builders, Not Fresh Grads
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 30/40/50 too old to start an AI career?
No. The average AI engineer is 35+. Companies increasingly value domain expertise combined with ML skills over pure ML research. A 40-year-old supply chain expert who learns ML can solve problems a 25-year-old ML grad can't even understand. Age discrimination exists, but it's far less relevant in AI than in consumer tech. Experience is genuinely valued.
Are there success stories of older career changers in AI?
Many. We've coached career changers in their 30s, 40s, and even 50s into AI roles. Common patterns: a financial analyst who became an ML risk modeler, a manufacturing engineer who moved into industrial AI, a healthcare administrator who transitioned to health AI. Domain expertise plus ML skills is a powerful combination that fresh grads can't match.
How much time will this take?
You'll spend 3 hours every Tuesday in the live session and roughly 3 hours of async work in between, for 8 weeks. The Tuesday session time is fixed.
I've signed up for cohorts before and dropped out. How is this different?
It probably isn't, and you should hold the money. Most cohort dropouts are people who couldn't articulate what they were shipping when they signed up. That's why the consult exists, and why I turn down most applications. If we get on the call and you can't tell me what you'll have shipped at the end of week 8, I'll point you to the AI Native Engineer community until you can.
I'm not pivoting careers. I want to build a product. Does this still work?
Yes, the cohort works for people shipping their first serious AI system whether the goal is to land a senior role or to launch a product. The shipped system serves both equally well.
Do I need prior AI experience?
You need to be able to code in Python or TypeScript. Complete beginners can follow the classroom they get access to before the cohort sessions to come in well-prepared.
What does it cost?
It's a four-figure investment that we discuss during the 30-minute consult, alongside whether the cohort is the right fit for your project.
Can I do this while working full-time?
Yes, most attendees do. The live session is one Tuesday a week and the async work fits around your existing schedule, as long as you can carve out roughly 6 hours a week.
I accept those who have the highest chance of success.
In the 30-minute call we discuss your goals and whether you are ready for the program.