From Job-Hopper to Cybersecurity Analyst: How Hadji Found His Future at City of Refuge

Before City of Refuge, Hadji’s life was a cycle of starting and quitting jobs—Target, Walmart, Waffle House, FedEx, UPS, you name it. “I was just working different jobs, quitting a lot of jobs and trying to find a better job for better pay, continuously doing that,” he said. At 27, newly married, and with a two-year-old son, Hadji was searching for more than just a paycheck—he was looking for purpose.

That search led him to a job fair hosted at City of Refuge. He quit his warehouse job to attend, hoping to land a tech role—but by the time he arrived, it had already been filled. “I stood in the middle of the City of Refuge Hub, and I was like, What am I doing? I messed up. I messed up my life.” But instead of walking away, Hadji decided to stay and talk to people. That decision changed everything.

An encouraging staff member invited him to the open house for the Cybersecurity program. “There were no open slots,” Hadji remembered, “but then an open slot came out of nowhere.” He scrambled to complete all the application steps from his car and was the first to turn everything in. That hustle earned him a spot in the program—starting just three days later. The nine-month training was intense. “It wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t beautiful, and it wasn’t ugly. It was everything,” Hadji said. “Trying to learn something so intense while going through life with a family and trying to keep a job on top of that...it was tough, but also very rewarding.”

In the program, Hadji found more than just technical training—he found encouragement, mentorship, and community. “There were spiritual experiences I had in the classroom. There were speakers who talked about your heart, your intentions, your mindset. It changed my life.”

After graduation, Hadji landed a great tech job. A year later, after a surprise layoff, he tapped into his network and earned a job with Cox Enterprises. Today, he works as an Application Analyst, doing threat hunting, reviewing security logs, and keeping users and systems safe.

Hadji’s dreams continue to grow: “I want to keep getting smarter and make big, impactful checkpoints…I want to make a difference that people notice.” But most of all, he’s grateful—for the support, the staff, and the spirit of City of Refuge. To those who donate and make it all possible, Hadji says, “It’s one of the best investments you can make. It’s a powerful thing you’re doing. You are changing lives directly…good people’s lives. This wouldn’t be possible without your donations.”

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