Post-secondary Journey Into Cybersecurity.

Welcome!

It has been quite a road so far! However, the journey after college never ends as staying up to date with the latest trends and certifications are so important.

Prior to my time in college to become a Cybersecurity Specialist, I did a lot of preparatory studies on several platforms. The main one being the Try Hack Me platform. The preparatory studies gave me valuable insight into what college was going to be like. I was lucky enough to get experience with CTF's and online learning pathways which lead to 4 certifications from their educational website.

Once I entered my Diploma program, I felt so excited to be there. I learned under Joutiar Ghaderyan who has been a fantastic mentor. I remember when I first started college it was a bit daunting looking at everything that I needed to accomplish to gain my Diploma. But thankfully, I managed my time well to meet deadlines early! I graduated several months earlier than my contract date, and graduated with honors. Now I am studying to complete even more CompTIA certifications that are included in my Diploma program. Whenever handling PC Upgrades & Maintenance side jobs, I always follow CompTIA's standard best practices.

To gain more experience so that I had a better chance at finding career advancement opportunities was also a big part of my college experience. I launched Upgrade You to upgrade PC's for hands-on experience with another technician. And I found a Canadian Federal Government Agency to volunteer with to provide technical support, security consulting, and 24/7 monitoring of their online volunteer platform of over 1300+ users.

During my time in college, I learned so much but as I mentioned before, it doesn't stop there! I managed to gain 9 certifications from CompTIA's TestOut platform. After all of my courses were completed I was lucky enough to find an advanced practicum placement. I was an Intern at the company Plurilock which was an incredible experience! Everyone who works for Plurilock are so highly educated. It was so inspiring to be able to learn from the best!

Now, not only am I upgrading PC's as a side hustle but I am also actively seeking out Cybersecurity opportunities. There's no greater experience than jumping into the industry at full speed! If you are an employer in the IT & Cybersecurity industry, feel free to email me at renee.a.l@hotmail.com.

Although I am looking for IT & Cybersecurity roles, I also found that it would be important to learn about the latest vulnerabilities as an Administrative Assistant for small and enterprise sized companies. When I do any Administrative work I always incorporate my knowledge of Cybersecurity with me. The principle of least privilege and zero trust frameworks are often overlooked. But you can assure that if I'm working on your team or project, it will be completed with the utmost care and security.

I will continue to update my website as things change. So stay tuned. Thank you for stopping by!