She had been a teacher for eight years, and valued every bit of it. Through career guidance work with her students, she watched them explore computing and tech, and found herself growing curious about something else entirely.
“I started to wonder how vulnerabilities happen, and why people still fall for scams. So I began to explore the cybersecurity industry.”
When she looked for ways to learn, she wanted something hands-on, not purely theoretical. The free taster session settled it.
“I signed up for the taster session, and that really confirmed it for me.”
Everything was new, and that was the point
Coming in with no technical background, every step was unfamiliar and genuinely exciting.
“Everything was very new and exciting, from setting up my own virtual machines, to typing in the command prompt, to eventually having my own ELK stack in the cloud.”
This is what a beginner-first programme is meant to feel like. You are not expected to arrive knowing anything. You are expected to be willing to learn from scratch.
The honest part: doubt and discipline
Her story is not a frictionless one, and that is exactly why it is worth telling. She took a planned break mid-programme while moving house and as her children changed schools. Balancing study with family took real discipline, and there were moments of doubt.
“There was a point where I felt there was so much I didn’t know about cyber, and I really wondered whether this was for me.”
What carried her through was not a single breakthrough. It was routine.
“There wasn’t one aha moment. It was getting into a habit of doing notes after each lesson, attending all the labs and tests consistently, and eventually I could follow the lessons and ask thoughtful questions.”
Where her old career met her new one
The turning point in how she saw herself came when she stopped trying to be purely technical.
“I started to realise my background in teaching was still relevant. Cybersecurity isn’t just technical, it’s also about people, how they think and how they make decisions. That’s where both sides came together.”
What she would tell you
Her advice is for anyone who feels they are not ready, or not the right kind of person for this.
“You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. If you enjoy problem-solving, are willing to learn and stay consistent, you’ll pick things up along the way. The first step is always the hardest, but things become clearer as you go.”
If that is you, start where she did: a free info session and the free experiential workshop, with no commitment. The flagship Career Kickstart programme is part-time and built around working adults, with funding up to 90% through SkillsFuture.
Most of our graduates who secured cyber roles had no prior IT background. If you are wondering whether the timing or your starting point is right, our guide to a mid-career switch into cybersecurity is a good next read.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you switch into cybersecurity while raising a family?
Yes. The flagship programme is part-time and mostly online, which is why parents and people in full-time work can do it alongside their commitments. It takes discipline, and learners often take planned breaks around life events, but the structure is built around working adults.
Is a teaching background useful in cybersecurity?
More than people expect. Cybersecurity is not only technical; a lot of it is about how people think, how they make decisions, and why they fall for scams. Communication, patience and understanding human behaviour all transfer well, especially into awareness, advisory and analyst roles.