Testimonials

Erik graduated from the ACTP’s New Careers in Cyber Stream in November 2020, and now works as a Threat Researcher for eSentire. No matter where he works, he is driven by a desire to help make the world a safer place. “I decided to pursue a career in cybersecurity because of my love for technology and my deep-rooted need to protect and empower the vulnerable. I want to do everything I can to ensure nobody feels helpless in the face of new breaches surfacing.” 

Erik began his career in social work as a Resident Worker, where he helped homeless populations and people struggling with addictions. While this may not sound like a traditional route to a cybersecurity career, Erik finds that his crisis management skills are transferable. “My previous experience helps me excel in cybersecurity by honing my ability to remain calm with a crystal-clear mind during a crisis,” he says. “It also taught me the value and power of communication through written reports and difficult conversations.”

Since graduating from the ACTP in 2020, Dar joined Arctic Wolf — first as a Security Analyst, and now she is a Triage Security Engineer. “I quickly grew to recognize the significant need for trained professionals and saw this path as my opportunity to bring a fresh perspective and diversified skill set to help make an impact in a hands-on way. 

Dar had over 10 years of marketing experience before pursuing cybersecurity, with a digital marketing specialization that kept her focused on increased website traffic, sales leads, and brand awareness. I have learned to resolve complex problems and achieve desired results through analysis, creative thinking, team collaboration and persistence,” she says. “I’ve also worked in an industry that is constantly evolving and have learned to be adaptable and forward-thinking.”

After completing her training at the ATCP in June 2021, Soheila joined Deloitte Canada. “I love working in cybersecurity because I believe cybersecurity is an important cornerstone of modern digital life and business. I am able to provide technical support for challenging cybersecurity and data protection issues by continuing education, developing new skills and intelligence strategies.” 

For as long as Soheila can remember, she has been fascinated by numbers and finding relationships between them. “Discovering differences and/or similarities between the numbers has been satisfying,” she says. “I also enjoy finding hidden artifacts and figuring out puzzles.” This interest in numbers led her on a diverse career path that has touched statistics, data analysis, design and customer service before eventually leading her to cybersecurity. “We live in an ever-increasing digital world, and I value information security and the importance of personal data.”

Today, Santosh works at Centennial College in Scarborough, where his areas of expertise include cyber awareness and training, project coordination, security monitoring, incident response, and risk analysis. “As our day-to-day lives become more intertwined with the digital world, we face new security challenges. Cybersecurity as a career has given me the opportunity to build our defenses and stay ahead of threats, while sharing my learning to help people stay safe online.” Santosh, an ATCP 2020 graduate of the RBC New Careers in Cyber stream, finds himself drawing on skills he learned from his prior career — both when learning cybersecurity skills and teaching them. “Working Incident Management provided me a platform to see IT from a holistic point of view, which helped me tremendously in quickly understanding my new environment,” he says. The experience breaking down complex IT issues has allowed me to communicate security concepts more effectively to students and faculty who may be non-technical.”