Learning PowerShell in 2026 with Tara

Security professional Mason Moser joins The PowerShell Podcast to share his journey from discovering PowerShell through Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches to building real-world automation tools in a security environment. Mason talks about how starting slowly, returning to PowerShell after a break, and consistently building small tools helped him gain confidence and deepen his skills. The conversation also explores the value of community involvement, overcoming imposter syndrome, presenting technical topics publicly, and practical workflows for security and scripting. Mason discusses using Git with AI-assisted coding, building internal PowerShell tools for teams, and how small daily automation tasks can steadily build long-term PowerShell expertise. Key Takeaways: • Start small and stay consistent — even simple scripts like cleaning up files or automating routine tasks build real PowerShell confidence over time. • Community involvement accelerates learning — asking thoughtful questions, sharing tools, and participating in discussions can dramatically improve your growth. • Git is essential when working with AI-generated code — committing changes frequently makes it easier to review, rollback, and understand modifications AI tools produce. Guest Bio: Mason Moser is a security professional based in Oklahoma who focuses on automation, governance, and risk within the electric utility industry. With a background in programming and security operations, Mason uses PowerShell to build internal tooling, streamline security workflows, and improve operational efficiency. He is an active participant in the PowerShell community and recently presented a PowerShell Wednesday session on Vim and keyboard-driven development workflows. Resource Links: Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches – https://www.manning.com/books/learn-powershell-in-a-month-of-lunches PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ Connect with Andrew - https://andrewpla.tech/links PowerShell Wednesdays – https://www.youtube.com/@PDQ Vim Editor – https://www.vim.org The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7EtWrrblKMw

Returning guest and Microsoft MVP Jim Tyler joins The PowerShell Podcast to talk Zero Trust security, K–12 IT leadership, open-source tooling, and building technology that serves real-world needs. Jim shares how he uses PowerShell to proactively harden school environments, including his Ghost module for endpoint lockdown and his Chrome extension You Shall Not Pass for classroom device management. Beyond security, the conversation dives into Jim’s assistive technology project TapSpeak, a free AAC communication app designed to help nonverbal students speak without financial barriers. From community leadership and public service to certifications and content creation, this episode explores how technical skills can scale far beyond scripts—and into meaningful impact. Key Takeaways: • Zero Trust starts with proactive hardening – Tools like Jim’s Ghost module help limit lateral movement, restrict protocols, and reduce attack surfaces before incidents occur. • Technical skills are force multipliers – From Chrome extensions to iOS apps, PowerShell knowledge and coding fundamentals translate into broader impact across platforms. • Community contribution compounds over time – Whether serving on public boards, mentoring, or publishing tools for free, consistent service builds trust, opportunity, and long-term influence. Guest Bio: Jim Tyler is an IT Director for Niles Community Schools in Michigan and a Microsoft MVP known for practical automation and security tooling in K–12 environments. He is the creator of the Ghost PowerShell security module, the You Shall Not Pass Chrome extension, and the free AAC communication project TapSpeak. Beyond IT, Jim serves in multiple public leadership roles, coaches youth sports, and actively contributes to the PowerShell community through his newsletter PowerShell News and technical content. Resource Links: • PowerShell News Newsletter – https://powershell.news • Jim Tyler on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@jimrtyler • Connect with Andrew - https://andrewpla.tech/links • Ghost PowerShell Module – https://github.com/jimrtyler/ghost • You Shall Not Pass Chrome Extension – https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/you-shall-not-pass-by-jim/efggnkbeomjjanjmghbadggegjemogee • TapSpeak – https://tapspeak.org • PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ   The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0q3Y0mMjWF4  

Long-time Microsoft MVP and consultant Richard Hicks joins The PowerShell Podcast to talk about ADCS security, PKI misconfigurations, and why PowerShell is a consultant’s ultimate force multiplier. Richard shares real-world stories from auditing enterprise certificate environments, explains how simple template mistakes can lead to full domain compromise, and walks through tools like Locksmith that help administrators quickly identify dangerous configurations. The conversation also explores Richard’s open-source PowerShell work, including his widely downloaded Get-UEFICertificate script for Secure Boot certificate expiration issues and his new ADPrincipalCertificate module for cleaning up unnecessary certificates published in Active Directory. Along the way, Richard reflects on career growth, publishing, consulting, and why sharing knowledge openly has been one of the biggest drivers of his long-term success. Key Takeaways: • ADCS is easy to deploy but difficult to secure — Misconfigured certificate templates, especially ESC1 scenarios, can allow instant privilege escalation and domain compromise. • PowerShell turns repetitive work into reusable tools — From UEFI certificate auditing to Active Directory cleanup, scripting creates consistency and prevents human error. • Sharing expertise compounds over time — Blogging, publishing modules, and speaking at conferences builds credibility, community, and long-term career momentum. Guest Bio: Richard Hicks is the founder and principal consultant of Richard M. Hicks Consulting, Inc. A Microsoft MVP with over 30 years of experience, he specializes in secure remote access and PKI, helping organizations deliver secure, high-performing access for today’s mobile workforce. Resource Links: Richard Hicks Website – https://richardhicks.com Connect with Richard – https://richardhicks.com/connect Connect with Andrew: https://andrewpla.tech/links Get-UEFICertificate Script – https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/Get-UEFICertificate ADPrincipalCertificate Module – https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/ADPrincipalCertificate Locksmith ADCS Audit Tool – https://github.com/jakehildreth/Locksmith PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ PowerShell Wednesdays – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa0GYX9_vj8&list=PL1mL90yFExsix-L0havb8SbZXoYRPol0B&pp=sAgC The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4HYCAjQS2W8  

In this episode of The PowerShell Podcast, Andrew Pla sits down with Pablo Correchel, an early-career IT professional who is publicly documenting his PowerShell and learning journey. Just one year into his first help desk role while studying cybersecurity, Pablo shares how consistent practice, sharing what you learn, and embracing beginner questions have accelerated his learning. The conversation explores escaping “tutorial hell,” using AI as a learning tool instead of a shortcut, understanding objects and the pipeline, and why putting yourself out there is one of the fastest ways to grow in tech. This episode is a reminder that you don’t have to be an expert to contribute... You just have to start. Key Takeaways: • Learning in public accelerates growth – Sharing small wins and exercises builds confidence, invites mentorship, and creates unexpected opportunities. • Understand the fundamentals deeply – Concepts like objects, the pipeline, Get-Help, Get-Member, and Get-Command form the foundation for long-term PowerShell success. • Use AI strategically – Treat AI as a tutor that challenges you, not a script generator that robs you of learning. Guest Bio: Pablo Correchel is an IT support professional based in Florida and a cybersecurity student at St. Petersburg College. With interests spanning cybersecurity, coding, cloud, and Windows environments, Pablo represents the next generation of IT professionals building skills through curiosity, consistency, and community. Resource Links: • Pablo Correchel on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablocorrechel • Connect with Andrew - https://andrewpla.tech/links • PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ • Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches – https://www.manning.com/series/learn-powershell-in-a-month-of-lunches • PowerShell Wednesdays – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdV6Qecn9v0&list=PL1mL90yFExsix-L0havb8SbZXoYRPol0B • The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube – https://youtu.be/JXgEwLfvwkk

In this episode of The PowerShell Podcast, Andrew Pla is joined by Tara, a longtime IT professional who has officially started her PowerShell learning journey. Tara shares her honest experience transitioning from a GUI-first mindset to learning PowerShell fundamentals, including objects, verb-noun commands, variables, pipelines, and error messages. The conversation captures the real emotions of learning something new later in a career—confusion, frustration, breakthroughs, and growing confidence. The episode also explores learning strategies like daily practice, flashcards, typing commands instead of copying, and asking “beginner” questions without fear. Andrew and Tara emphasize the importance of community, mentorship, growth mindset, and psychological safety, encouraging listeners that learning PowerShell doesn’t require perfection—just consistency, curiosity, and support. Key Takeaways: Learning PowerShell deepens your understanding of IT as a whole, not just scripting, especially through concepts like objects, properties, and methods. Consistency beats intensity — small daily practice, repetition, and typing commands manually build real confidence over time. Community changes everything — asking questions, sharing struggles, and learning publicly makes progress faster and far more enjoyable. Guest Bio: Tara Sinquefield is an experienced IT professional and PDQ team member who is publicly documenting her PowerShell learning journey. Known for her honesty, curiosity, and willingness to ask the questions others may be afraid to ask, Tara represents the many IT pros who are discovering PowerShell later in their careers. Her journey highlights how learning fundamentals can unlock deeper technical understanding, confidence, and new opportunities. She is also a host of PDQ Live every week Resource Links: PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ Tara's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-sinquefield-894a1a215/ Connect with Andrew - https://andrewpla.tech/links Tara Writes Her First Script: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa0GYX9_vj8 PowerShell Conference Europe – https://psconf.eu PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit – https://powershellsummit.org The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZaPoS4mGW7s  

Microsoft MVP Harm Veenstra, creator of PowerShellIsFun.com, joins The PowerShell Podcast to talk about productivity, consistency, and why PowerShell really is fun. Harm shares how blogging regularly helped accelerate his learning, improve his workflow, and deepen his connection to the community. He also discusses his recent transition to macOS, how he uses PowerShell across Mac, Linux, and Windows, and why modern PowerShell is far more cross-platform than many people realize. The conversation dives into VS Code extensions, GitHub Codespaces, WSL, Nerdfonts, and practical terminal setups, along with honest thoughts on AI-generated scripts, learning the hard way, and why asking questions publicly is one of the fastest paths to growth. Key Takeaways: Consistency beats perfection – Having a repeatable workflow for writing, scripting, or learning makes long-term progress almost automatic. PowerShell is truly cross-platform – Running PowerShell on macOS, Linux, WSL, and containers unlocks powerful workflows beyond Windows-only thinking. Community accelerates everything – Asking questions, sharing small discoveries, and contributing publicly leads to faster learning, confidence, and career growth. Guest Bio: Harm Veenstra is a Microsoft MVP, consultant, blogger, and community contributor best known for PowerShellIsFun.com, where he publishes frequent, practical PowerShell content. He is an active participant in the PowerShell community and a regular conference attendee and speaker. Resource Links: PowerShell Is Fun – https://powershellisfun.com Connect with Andrew - https://andrewpla.tech/links Install Nerdfonts with PowerShell – https://powershellisfun.com/2026/01/30/install-nerdfonts-using-powershell/ GitHub Codespaces – https://github.com/features/codespaces PowerShell Conference Europe – https://psconf.eu PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ Fred's Module Building PS Wednesday – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAjtbZktL8w The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/V6kWnmrHOms

Recently retired PowerShell icon Don Jones joins The PowerShell Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on career ownership, community leadership, and building a life that aligns with what you actually value. Don reflects on the difference between your job and your career, why investing in yourself pays off, and how asking better questions can change the way you influence decisions at work. The episode also dives into Don’s journey as a fiction author, his role in shaping the PowerShell community and Summit culture, and why real success comes from clarity, kindness, and helping others win.   Key Takeaways: • Your employer owns your job, but you own your career—define your destination and build the skills to get there. • Strong careers are built on outcomes, not tools—focus on saving time, reducing errors, and delivering measurable business value. • Community scales when you empower others—create space for people to contribute, own wins, and multiply the impact beyond yourself.   Guest Bio: Don Jones is a foundational figure in the PowerShell community, known for his decades of teaching, writing, and advocacy for automation and professional growth. A former Microsoft MVP, Don co-authored the widely influential Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches series and helped shape community culture through conferences, mentorship, and leadership. Now retired from full-time work, Don continues writing and publishing fiction, bringing the same clarity and craft to storytelling that made his technical teaching so impactful.   Resource Links: • Don Jones Website and Books – https://donjones.com Andrew's links: https://andrewpla.tech/links • PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit – https://powershellsummit.org • Tech Impact (nonprofit mentioned) – https://techimpact.org • PowerShell.org – https://powershell.org • PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ • PowerShell Wednesdays – https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=PowerShell+Wednesdays The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xKh8rqCqMQg  

Principal Security Consultant and community favorite Jake Hildreth returns to The PowerShell Podcast to talk about building smarter automation, leveling up through community, and creating tools that solve real problems. Andrew shares his “stop trying so hard” theme for the year, how working smarter applies directly to scripting and security, and why getting involved with others is one of the fastest ways to grow in your career. The conversation dives into Jake’s recent projects including Deck, a Markdown-to-terminal presentation tool built on Spectre.Console, and Stepper, a resumable scripting framework designed for long-running workflows that can’t be fully automated end-to-end. They also explore presentation skills, avoiding “death by PowerPoint,” and why security work requires constantly re-checking assumptions as threats evolve.   Key Takeaways: • Work smarter, not harder — Whether you’re scripting or building a career, small sustainable improvements beat grinding yourself into a corner. • Resumable automation is a game changer — Stepper helps scripts safely pause and resume, making real-world workflows more reliable when humans or flaky APIs are part of the loop. • Community turns into real momentum — Contributing, asking questions, and sharing feedback builds skills, friendships, and opportunities faster than trying to learn alone.   Guest Bio: Jake Hildreth is a Principal Security Consultant at Semperis, Microsoft MVP, and longtime builder of tools that make identity security suck a little less. With nearly 25 years in IT (and the battle scars to prove it), he specializes in helping orgs secure Active Directory and survive the baroque disaster that is Active Directory Certificate Services. He’s the creator of Locksmith, Stepper, Deck, BlueTuxedo, and PowerPUG!, open-source tools built to make life easier for overworked identity admins. When he’s not untangling Kerberos or wrangling DNS, he’s usually hanging out with his favorite people and most grounding reality check: his wife and daughter.   Resource Links: • Jake Hildreth’s Website – https://jakehildreth.com • Jake's GitHub - https://github.com/jakehildreth Andrew's Links - https://andrewpla.tech/links • PowerShell Spectre Console – https://pwshspectreconsole.com/ • PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ • PowerShell Conference Europe – https://psconf.eu • PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit – https://powershellsummit.org • Jake's PowerShell Wednesday – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdV6Qecn9v0 The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rFeoTKLerkA  

Newly minted Microsoft MVP David Sass joins The PowerShell Podcast to talk about PowerShell notebooks, terminal tooling, and making automation approachable for teams that are hesitant to touch the console. David shares how he uses Jupyter/PowerShell notebooks as a practical “click-to-run” interface for colleagues, helping them safely run approved automation while keeping the logic documented, repeatable, and under source control. The conversation also dives into incident response automation, David’s journey from SharePoint engineering into security, and the surprising ways PowerShell can be used across Windows, cloud, and even Raspberry Pi lab clusters—while still staying focused on knowledge-sharing and building systems that don’t depend on one person.   Key Takeaways: • Notebooks can remove friction for teams — combining documentation, code, and saved output creates a safer way for others to run automation without needing deep PowerShell confidence. • PowerShell scales incident response workflows — David explains how notebooks can log in, pull incidents, enrich data, and even auto-close noise, reducing UI-click fatigue for analysts. • Teaching makes you promotable — sharing knowledge reduces dependency on you, strengthens the team, and makes it easier for a business to grow your role without risk.   Guest Bio: David is a Microsoft MVP and highly skilled SharePoint Guy who is focusing on Automation, Compliance, Security, Operational Excellence, Quality Assurance and hacking the unexpected out from the technology stack.   Resource Links: David’s link hub – https://davidsass.io/ Andrew's links - https://andrewpla.tech/links PowerShell Spectre Console – https://pwshspectreconsole.com/ PowerShell Wednesdays – https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=PowerShell+Wednesdays PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ ClockworkPi (the handheld device shown/discussed) – https://clockworkpi.com The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y03EJYpZczo

Matthew Gill joins The PowerShell Podcast to talk about what it means to be a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) and how SRE thinking changes the way you approach automation, reliability, and problem solving. Matthew and host Andrew Pla break down core concepts like SLAs, SLOs, and SLIs, and why reliability through planning matters more than rushing straight to the keyboard.   They also dig into why PSFramework is worth the dependency for enterprise-grade logging and configuration, how community mentorship (including Fred Weinmann’s impact) can fast-track growth, and why books like The Phoenix Project are game-changing for understanding DevOps culture and constraints.   Key Takeaways: • SRE is software engineering applied to operations — focus on measurable reliability, proper planning, and balancing change with stability using concepts like SLAs, SLOs, and SLIs. • PSFramework can eliminate “reinventing the wheel” — especially for logging and configuration handling, giving enterprises proven patterns and integrations without custom-built fragility. • Community is a career multiplier — mentorship, learning in public, and teaching others are some of the fastest ways to build confidence and advance your PowerShell journey.   Guest Bio: Matthew Gill is a Site Reliability Engineer and is the Co-Director of Content for the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit. He has been a problem solver, systems administrator, and scripter for nearly 20 years. From working in the United States Marine Corps, education, radio, and currently the private sector, the majority of Matt's experience has been focused on solving problems in a variety of interesting and creative ways.Resource Links PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit – https://powershellsummit.org The Phoenix Project (Book) – https://itrevolution.com/product/the-phoenix-project/ The Unicorn Project (Book) – https://itrevolution.com/product/the-unicorn-project/ PSFramework – https://github.com/PowershellFrameworkCollective/psframework Matthew Gill’s Blog – https://therealgill.com Andrew's Links - https://andrewpla.tech/links PDQ Discord – https://discord.gg/PDQ PowerShell Wednesdays – https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=PowerShell+Wednesdays The PowerShell Podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vkOLsjsPvYo