November 19, 2021
Congratulations to Diego Romero and Jerry Swain for their success in the Skills for Hire program. Diego and Jerry have demonstrated exceptional involvement with coursework and live sessions, and as a result, they have been chosen as students of the month!
Our Skills for Hire program strives to provide support to a variety of individuals who are each on a journey to build a career in the tech sector, with this current cohort focusing on cybersecurity. Jerry Swain is at the beginning of his journey as he is a current member of the RCMP with an interest in cyber security. Approaching 20 years in service, Jerry has viewed how technology has integrated itself in society and flourished throughout the years. Jerry was quickly surprised early on in the course how technology and cyber security plays a role as an RCMP investigator and how he can utilize this skill into his day to day investigations as an RCMP officer.
“I wanted to stay ahead of the curve when it came to new modernized investigative techniques and cyber security was one avenue where I found myself unfamiliar. I wanted to educate myself with the overall basic cyber security processes to assist me within my current role and any future endeavours.”
– Jerry Swain
The Skills for Hire program has strengthened Jerry’s perspective on the industry by teaching valuable concepts through courses and live labs. The program has provided him the ability to work at his own pace which has maximized his productivity amongst the modules. Jerry notes that the ‘EnPoint career kick starter is a fantastic addition and compliments the courses extremely well.
Jerry’s favourite course in the program is Attacks, Threats and Vulnerabilities by Christopher Reese. The course provided an exceptional overview about the vast world of cybersecurity which was helpful for introducing Jerry to the space. Attacks, Threats and Vulnerabilities highlights all of the known and most common digital threats which is guaranteed to spark your interest in cyber security, however, Jerry’s interest began prior to being a part of the program. During his service he was faced with an issue that made him realize how limited his knowledge was of cyber security. Rather than shying away from this unknown industry, Jerry took it upon himself to investigate the cyber security space to further progress his knowledge and ability as an RCMP officer.
Moving forward, Jerry hopes to continue his career participating in both onsite and remote working environments. His dream position is a career where he feels challenged each day and one that keeps him engaged in further education and training. The attitude and commitment Jerry has pursued in his career will continue to open doors and help advance his industry. Digital Nova Scotia’s Skills for Hire program is devoted to continuing to assist industry leaders such as Jerry.
If you’re interested in connecting with Jerry, we encourage you to check out his LinkedIn.
Diego Romera is relatively new to IT and tech in general. In an effort to keep himself busy during the pandemic, Diego started coding last year so he could learn more about the industry. Watching tutorials and reading books about coding helped him quickly grasp the essential concepts. In spite of a few trials and errors, Diego discovered that this was something he enjoyed and found fulfilling. Soon after he finished his initial studies, Diego began planning a career change into the tech industry.
“By chance of fate, I ended up living in Nova Scotia of all places in Canada, where there is a booming and solid tech industry. There are also several markets and opportunities for newbies like myself to enter and grow in the industry, so I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to be starting this new path.”
– Diego Romera
Diego’s favourite aspect of the program thus far has been the opportunity to learn and work at his own pace and on his own schedule. He expressed his gratitude to the team of professional instructors who provide ongoing assistance and unique insights based on their expertise. Diego has benefited immensely from the job search and interview techniques he learned in this class. Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities has also been Diego’s favourite course. He stated that this course opened his eyes to the reality of hackers and the importance of security for individuals and corporations.
His ultimate goal is to enter the IT sector and work his way up to become a Pentester or risk manager position. He is passionate about helping companies and individuals protect sensitive data. As he prepares to change careers, Diego was grateful for the opportunity to network with industry professionals through the Halifax Partnership Connector Program and the expert panels. With Skills for Hire, Diego has been able to further his learning and prepare himself for a career change.
“I would recommend the Skills for Hire program to anyone who is looking to work in IT, specifically students or total beginners like myself. If you need to hone a particular skill or learn a new skill to add to your resume, it’s a very good program.”
– Diego Romera
If you’re interested in meeting or working with Diego, we encourage you to connect with him on LinkedIn!