In light of National Apprenticeship Week, our team put together their career journeys when starting their apprenticeship at DarkInvader. Yusef and Sam wrote about starting their apprenticeships and where they are now in the cyber security industry. Have a read of their experiences below.
In my first year of A-levels, I realised it just wasn't for me. I was looking for something a lot more hands on and practical rather than just theoretical knowledge. That's when I started looking into apprenticeships over going to university. I found out there were apprenticeship opportunities in cybersecurity. When looking into the cybersecurity industry, I found it very intriguing; from then on, it was something I wanted to do. Getting into cybersecurity is tough, especially if you don't have any prior experience so I knew the apprenticeship route was more suited to me personally.
Studying an apprenticeship seemed like the perfect fit as It's a great way to gain hands-on experience whilst working and earning money. During my free time, I started messing around with some cybersecurity-related projects. It was super fun and rewarding, making me even more sure about going down this path of an apprenticeship. So, I applied for the Cybersecurity apprenticeship at DarkInvader and was thrilled when they accepted me into their program. I was excited to start my apprenticeship along with others who were starting theirs too.
I picked DarkInvader as it appealed to me that it was a small start-up at the time I joined. This appealed to me because of the building and growing the business had to do and I could be a part of that and grow with the business. I also could contribute to innovate ideas and services alongside having the time to shadow some of the current apprentices and graduates at DarkInvader. This also gave me a lot more responsibility within my role which later helped me become more independent and confident when it came to my own work and ideas later on.
Now, I'm doing a Level 4 Cybersecurity Technologist apprenticeship. It's great because I'm not just learning theory; I'm actually getting hands-on experience. Plus, I'm getting paid! That's the best part. It's about two years long, which gives me a huge head start in the field. I'm picking up real skills, getting paid, and setting myself up for a future in cybersecurity.
I always knew that I wanted to pursue a career in cybersecurity, but at first, I didn't know how to start my journey. After many months of receiving help from the careers advisor at my school and my subject teachers, I started exploring the options available at the universities in the UK. However, I couldn't find a course that fully provided what I wanted.
After years of learning theory and the key concepts of Computer Science, I wanted a more hands on approach to my learning. Especially after the pandemic, I wanted to put my learning into real situations and gain real-life experience. That's when I decided to change my direction and look into what apprenticeships could offer me. After reading a few job postings, I realised that a cybersecurity apprenticeship was exactly what I wanted and needed to start my career. Upon looking at the requirements and what apprenticeships had to offer, I found that it covered topics I was already passionate about and would help me develop my existing skills. After months of searching, I found a Level 4 apprenticeship that I applied for and was accepted and am now in my 5th month, It has offered me everything I could have asked for. It includes monthly lessons that cover the theory of cyber security and industry practices/standards.
This has helped me build a strong foundation for the future and also allowed me to practice what I have learned every day in my position at DarkInvader. My apprenticeship has given my learning meaning and context, which has helped me solidify my knowledge and skills. I don’t believe I would have made so much progress and learnt so much from the university method of teaching as the ability to practice what I learn allows for me to engage in my learning. My apprenticeship at DarkInvader has been invaluable for my progression as a cybersecurity researcher. Without it, I wouldn't be as skilled or confident in my profession. The apprenticeship has given me a great, fun and exciting start to my career.
If you are interested in a career at DarkInvader, email our team at info@darkinvader.io or contact us via our website.
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