The people I have a wonderful supportive team and I get to be part of the amazing Deloitte network. For example, I have the opportunity to be part of the Women in Cyber network which helps build and grow gender diversity in the workforce. It’s fantastic being surrounded by so many women who are doing great things in cyber.

After high school, I wasn’t sure what direction I was going to take until I heard someone say, ‘as a doctor, you could help one person at a time but in IT you can help thousands of people at the same time’. This really impacted me and solidified what I wanted out of life - to make a meaningful difference and create change. This was part of the reason I decided to study IT, but it wasn’t until my second year at university that I decided cyber was for me. To be honest, I didn’t even know what cyber security was.

I was lucky enough to attend a networking night and I got chatting to someone who worked in the cyber field. I was fascinated by what they did and the stories they told. From then I was hooked, and that very night I changed my major to cyber security.

I was lucky enough in my third year to gain work experience at Deloitte in their cyber risk team. Specifically, I was working with a client to develop a security assessment for their cloud-based migration. I was also able to get the chance to meet the team and gain a more in-depth view of cyber as a whole. This was something which I really needed, as it showed me how diverse cyber is. I then had the opportunity to stay on and help develop the Cyber Academy in my last year at uni. I worked 2-3 days a week and studied the remaining days. It was great to work on a project which matched the study-work pattern that I was already doing to some extent.

The Cyber Academy is an innovative three-year degree apprenticeship program that will fast track students’ careers from day one. By combining education with work-integrated learning, students gain a professional earn-as-you-learn degree traineeship. Students, on average, work 3-days per week and study the remaining two days. Thus, students have the fantastic opportunity to gain experience in diverse cyber teams across industry and government. Students are put at the forefront of the program, with mentoring, coaching, and support from Deloitte through the Next Generation Leadership Program- which will include workshops, fireside chats, and panel discussions giving students opportunities to develop their leadership skills, build relationships and gain real life experiences. Ultimately, the cyber industry is about helping people, communities, and society to stay safe and secure- and we need industry to reflect the society we live in. We’re looking for diverse people from all backgrounds, abilities and walks of life, so if you’re interested to hear more on Cyber Academy – Discover Here