I’m excited to share that I have completed 8 months of intensive training in Cybersecurity at the Cybersafe Foundation through the Cybergirls Fellowship Program, Cohort 4.0.
The Cybersafe Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on promoting cybersecurity awareness and education by empowering individuals, especially young adults, with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital world safely through workshops, seminars, and training sessions to address various aspects of online safety. One of the ways Cybersafe does this is through the Cybergirls Fellowship which is a program dedicated to empowering young women in cybersecurity by providing mentorship, training, and networking opportunities to increase skills and promote diversity in the tech industry.
I heard of the Cybergirls Fellowship from Sahla Sandrine'22 who had just graduated from the fellowship in 2023 and wanted to help young girls in Cameroon to seize this opportunity too. I decided to go for it because I love seeing people being safe while navigating the internet both at home and at work. The application process was in 2 phases. When I got accepted for the first phase, I thought “this is it” but the next phase included taking a cybersecurity fundamental course and writing an exam. I scored 86%, above the threshold mark of 70% and then I received my confirmation letter into the fellowship.
Throughout this transformative journey, I have developed essential skills in:
Cybersecurity Awareness Training: Through the Cybergirls Fellowship, I gained an understanding of cybersecurity awareness and how essential it is. This training taught me how to recognize online threats, understand safe practices for data protection, and help organizations to cultivate a culture of security.
Networking Fundamentals: The program provided a solid foundation in networking fundamentals which are the basics of security. I understood how data is transmitted across networks and the significance of secure configurations in an organization's network. I also explored the concepts of IP addressing and subnetting, which are essential for managing and troubleshooting network issues.
Introduction to Information Security: The introduction to information security equipped me with the essential principles of protecting information in various forms. I learned about confidentiality, integrity, and availability, which are the pillars in safeguarding sensitive data. This was what my first project was based on, implementing Access Controls in a network.
Soft Skills Training: Soft skills training is my greatest highlight of the program. I enhanced my communication while interacting with other girls, built teamwork skills when we were given projects to implement as a group and problem-solving abilities. I learned how to live in a diverse world with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. Additionally, this training provided skills on how to create a good CV, leverage LinkedIn for opportunities, and develop resilience and adaptability while dealing with many courses and deadlines, which is essential for navigating the dynamic field of cybersecurity.
Digital Forensics: This was in the second part of the program. What made my learning of this field remarkable was the Open Day. We were given hands-on experience in investigating cyber incidents and presenting our findings to a panel of judges. I learned techniques for collecting, preserving, and analyzing digital evidence from various devices. I learned to use forensic tools like Autopsy and methodologies, preparing me for real-world applications in cybersecurity investigations.
Threat Intelligence: The training in threat intelligence enhanced my ability to analyze and interpret cyber threats. I learned how to gather, evaluate, and disseminate information about potential threats to inform decision-making in an organization. This skill empowered me to contribute effectively to an organization's security posture by anticipating and mitigating risks.
I particularly love the fact that I was assigned a mentor who helped encourage me when I got so tired, who gave me a view of how work in real life is, how women in Cybersecurity roles are treated, and the opportunities out there for us.
To all our sponsors, including ISC2, Cisco Networking Academy, Infosec, ArcX, and Microsoft Teams, I say thank you for your collaboration. I am immensely grateful to Cybersafe and Confidence Stavely for this incredible opportunity. Thank you for believing in me!
Helga Fuambu | Open Dreams
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