Staying ahead of the bad guys

Hend Chakroun is currently a Trainee in Cyber Risk Services and will be joining Deloitte Luxembourg as a permanent employee in October 2021. We interviewed her about her career path, why she chose cyber engineering as her profession, what she learned during her traineeship, and what she is looking forward to in the field of cyber risk.

“My interest in cybersecurity started about four years ago when I was at university. Once I discovered this field, I knew I wanted to be a cyber engineer and do great things. Working for an international player allows me to achieve these goals. After graduating from high school, I did two years of pre-engineering school (classes préparatoires), which allowed me to join an engineering school. I will be graduating in September 2021 with an engineering diploma in telecommunications from Tunisia and an engineering diploma in cybersecurity from France."

“What fascinates me the most about cyber engineering is that we never stop learning. Technology is always evolving and people are always trying to exploit new vulnerabilities to compromise systems. To be able to fight them and protect our assets, we need to stay up to date with the latest trends and news. For me, cyber engineering is about always staying one step ahead of the bad guys. We also get to work with many different technologies, which fits perfectly with my curiosity and hunger for knowledge. What I also love about cyber engineering is the human side of it. We need to be able to design and provide solutions that not only keep assets secure but also have a decent level of usability for humans."

“I joined the cybersecurity club in my first year of engineering school back in Tunisia and became the club manager the following year. My responsibilities included organizing training sessions and capture the flag (CTF) competitions and generally raising cybersecurity awareness. I found introducing people to cybersecurity and explaining the concept invaluable, helping me improve both my technical and soft skills. Being able to share my passion with people is something I want to do every day and managing the club gave me that opportunity. I also took part in many cybersecurity events, which allowed me to meet people who taught me a lot.”

Following her traineeship at Deloitte Luxembourg, Hend landed a permanent job. She gave us a glimpse into a working day as a Deloitte Luxembourg trainee and what excites her the most about her new role.

“Given the flexibility at Deloitte, I usually start my day around 8 and 9 am. I check my emails and meetings for the day and then I start working on my internship project. We do frequent check-ins and I get to discuss my work with the members of the team. If we are at the office, we usually have lunch together, which is a great way to connect. I attend meetings and have regular catch-up calls with colleagues."

“What excites me the most about my work is the ability to grow. Being at Deloitte means I am in a challenging environment, which is something I love. It brings out the best in me, allowing me to push my limits and step out of my comfort zone. I have the opportunity to work in a team with incredible and inspiring leaders. Their availability and constant support are invaluable. I have learned so much during these past six months and I cannot wait to learn more. I also get to work with amazing teammates, who never fail to make the workplace enjoyable."

“I am happy to be part of Deloitte’s Women in Cyber initiative and take part in challenging projects and new responsibilities. Being able to help clients secure their systems in the best possible way is my motivation. I am also eager to work on internal projects to improve our security tools and make sure we deliver the best quality services to our clients.”