Empowering Women in Cyber: My journey and advocacy for diversity
In the cybersecurity industry, progress relies on the strength and diversity of its participants. Despite gendered stereotypes, this field has embraced and supported opportunities that promote workforce diversification, creating space for women to strengthen their presence and passion.
Transitioning into cybersecurity from a vastly different industry brings unique complexities that demand resilience and passion. For me, the turning point came after completing a security course in 2011, which reignited my interest in technology and set me on the path to a career in cybersecurity. While such pivotal moment later in life may seem daunting, they also signify the opportunities within this industry for women who have carried a passion for technology all their lives.
While turning points in your career can occur organically, what follows often determines whether that path is fully pursued. Company culture, policies, and initiative that create space for women and empower their careers are crucial for sustained growth. Reflecting on my career to date, joining a company like Orro, which values reskilled workers and champions diversity across gender and beyond, has made a significant difference in my career trajectory.
Since joining the Orro family, I have been able to complete my studies and continue working from Townsville, all while saying close to my family – something I once thought impossible. I thought a career in cybersecurity would require relocating to a metro city, along with the mental and physical challenges of uprooting my family. Though being the only employee in the area has challenges, it has also provided me unique opportunities to engage directly with multiple customers and projects across different touchpoints. This high level of exposure has undoubtedly advanced the development of my skills, understanding and passion for the work.
Every new challenge I've faced seems to open a door of opportunity for growth, amplified by progression structures available at Orro, which allow me to expand my knowledge horizontally across practices as well as vertically as I gain experience. Thanks to this flexibility, I've been able to explore areas like artificial intelligence to understand how it they may impact cybersecurity in the future.
Understanding the transformative power of opportunity through my own experiences, I'm passionate about sharing my knowledge of cybersecurity with my family and the wider Townsville community, hoping to educate and inspire them to the possibilities a career in cyber can offer. Growing up as a young Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan woman, I had no exposure to this industry – all I knew was that I found technology and its functions completely fascinating. Now four years into my cyber career, I find it fulfilling to share these opportunities to other young women in the Townsville Indigenous community.
Through Orro's partnership with the Stars Foundation, I have the privilege of working with students from Heatly Secondary College, showing them what a career in cyber can look like and supporting their education to give them the tools they need to pursue the career they want – whatever that may be. For me, working with these young girls is about giving them opportunities I never had. I hope programs like this continue to grow, helping us move closer to a truly equal workforce.
On International Women in Cyber Day, reflecting on my own career and those of my female colleagues fills me with pride. Women in cyber are brave, bold, resilient, and intelligent, driving this sector to its full potential. As I progress in my career, I'm excited to see more women come through the doors of Orro, ready to challenge themselves in this dynamic industry.
