The day in the life of a CyberCX Academy Associate 

“Through the Academy, we were given the tools to hit the ground running. Being in a consulting job role, it was the focus on ‘job readiness’ which really set me up for success. We were trained with the knowhow of those who have done it, lived it, and built it. I was able to take academic and theoretical learning and apply it to real-world scenarios and experiences.”

Ailie Houlihan – Consultant, Strategy and Consulting

Strategy and Consulting

Pathway: Consulting

As an Associate Consultant in Strategy and Consulting, I work in a team that provides strategic and advisory services to private sector, not for profit and government clients. A typical day might involve working with clients to undertake cyber security maturity reviews, preparing cyber security strategies, developing proposals or making recommendations to improve a clients’ cyber security posture.

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Are an excellent writer and verbal communicator.
• Are a strategic thinker, with a clear sense of the bigger picture.
• Enjoy a high level of engagement with clients.
• Have strong interpersonal skills and can clearly communicate complex concepts in a simple way. 

“I come from a background in linguistics, with experience working in international relations and law in Japan. I became interested in transitioning my career into cyber, but I wasn’t looking to go back to full-time study after recently completing a Masters in another field. The CyberCX Academy program was a perfect opportunity for me to gain foundational knowledge about cyber security as well as get hands on experience working in the industry.”

Thea Dixon – Consultant, Strategy and Consulting 

“The vast majority of the skills and knowledge required for my role can be taught to anyone. I think the most important attributes to have coming into the program are perseverance and a willingness to try new things.”

Gil Yahalom – Consultant, Governance, Risk and Compliance

Cyber Capability, Education and Training

Pathway: Consulting

As an Associate in Cyber Capability, Education and Training, I help our clients meet their cyber security learning and development needs, as well as rehearse and plan for cyber security events. A typical day might involve designing and running exercises with our clients’ operational teams, senior executives or board to test and uplift their ability to respond to cyber security scenarios. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Are a quick thinker and a proactive problem solver.
• Enjoy being analytical, identifying patterns and abnormalities.
• Have strong attention to detail and the ability to document information accurately.
• Manage stress effectively, are resilient and remain calm under pressure. 

“The support I have received from the CCET team, and the camaraderie from my cohort has been unlike anything I’ve experienced in a previous workplace. I will always be grateful to the Academy team for giving me, and people like me, a chance. I am so glad that as part of the CCET team I can now reach out and offer a hand to new Associates coming through and pay it forward.”

Claire Batchelor – Senior Consultant, Cyber Capability, Education and Training

Managed Security Services

Pathway: Technical

Managed Security Operations 

As an Associate Security Analyst in Managed Security Services, I work in a Security Operations Centre to protect our clients’ digital assets. A typical day might involve monitoring, triaging and responding to cyber security incidents. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Are a quick thinker and a proactive problem solver.
• Enjoy being analytical, identifying patterns and abnormalities.
• Have strong attention to detail and the ability to document information accurately.
• Manage stress effectively, are resilient and remain calm under pressure.

Managed Security Engineering 

As an Associate Security Engineer in Managed Security Services, I help design and maintain infrastructure solutions and assist in the implementation of infrastructure builds and upgrades. A typical day might involve using my understanding of networking technologies and concepts to proactively identify risks within a client’s infrastructure. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Have a desire to understand networking foundations.
• Are methodical in your approach to delivering an outcome.
• Enjoy technical themes and understanding how things work.
• Are interested in learning how to program and script. 

“I’ve worked in a range of jobs and got experience from a wide range of fields, including military, security, public transport and freight and logistics. I had no technical experience prior to the Academy, and I still feel like I have a huge amount to learn. But so far, the journey with CyberCX and the Academy has been very positive and I’ve received mentoring and support from everyone I’ve asked.”

Brennan Harvey – Senior Security Analyst Consultant, Managed Security Services

Identity and Access Management

Pathway: Technical

As an Associate Engineer in Identity and Access Management, I help clients maintain appropriate access to their most critical information and systems through the management of digital identities. A typical day might involve performing health checks on a client’s environment, configuring and maintaining application Single Sign On integrations, and deploying, installing and managing customised identity and access management solutions. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Are interested in learning how to program and script, or already have skills in this area.
• Have strong interpersonal skills and can clearly communicate complex concepts in a simple way.
• Are analytical with strong attention to detail.
• Have a client centric mindset.

“My university degree is in Civil Engineering, a far reach from the realm of cyber security. After university I landed a job in concrete manufacturing and supply, working on major infrastructure projects. However, after working within the construction and manufacturing industry for around five years, whilst enjoying the purpose, the work itself did not challenge me. I needed a change. A career in cyber security would allow me to fulfil my purpose of helping the citizens of Australia, while remaining an interesting challenge due to its ever evolving nature.”

Taylor Topperwien – Consultant, Identity and Access Management

Security Testing and Assurance

Pathway: Technical

As an Associate in Security Testing and Assurance, I help identify, assess, and mitigate vulnerabilities by testing applications and infrastructure within client environments. A typical day might involve conducting penetration tests (ethical hacking) on clients’ digital assets and preparing reports detailing the findings to help clients gain a clearer understanding of their security exposures and areas for improvement.

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Like solving puzzles and uncovering issues.
• Are interested in learning how to program and script.
• Have an analytical and curious mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Have an interest in emerging technologies and the behaviours of threat actors. 

“After graduating university, I worked in the health industry as an orthoptist. I realised in the long-term I wanted something different but still wanted the aspect of helping people and using critical thinking. I stumbled upon the CyberCX Academy program on LinkedIn and saw videos of people who had a similar career path to cyber security, coming from a totally unrelated field. I thought it was too good to be true. I applied and was accepted, and before long I had started in the CyberCX Academy.”

Zoe Hoo – Security Consultant, Security Testing and Assurance

Cyber Intelligence 

Pathway: Technical

As an Associate Technical Analyst in CyberCX Intelligence, I work on improving intelligence tools to deliver insights and threat assessments focusing on dark web monitoring, tradecraft tracking, and scripting to automate intelligence collection. A typical day might involve reviewing technical security reports, presenting key findings, conducting reconnaissance using open-source intelligence and sending out alerts or advisories. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Enjoy researching and solving complex problems.
• Enjoy identifying patterns, trends and insights from datasets.
• Have an innovative and creative mindset.
• Are interested in learning how to program and script.

Pathway: Consulting

As an Associate Analyst in CyberCX Intelligence, I provide tactical, operational and strategic intelligence support to our clients. I collect, collate and analyse intelligence collected from sources like the dark web, open and closed sources. A typical day might involve using threat intelligence technologies to upload and disseminate technical information, preparing research and analysis to support intelligence products, or assisting in the development of strategic intelligence assessments. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Enjoy critical thinking and strategic analysis.
• Enjoy researching and interpreting complex information.
• Are a strong writer and communicator.
• Are analytical and comfortable in ambiguity.  

“To succeed in my role, the most important quality someone can have is a passion for problem solving. When developing tools, we invariably encounter obstacles that require both persistence and creativity to solve. The ability to keep approaching the same problem from different angles is often the key to success.”

Alexander Trewartha – Technical Cyber Intelligence Analyst, Cyber Intelligence

Digital Forensics and Incident Response

Pathway: Technical

As an Associate in Digital Forensics and Incident Response, I investigate and respond to cyber incidents and help clients understand what has happened in a cyber breach, assess the damage, and recover. A typical day might involve providing guidance, planning and incident response playbooks to help clients prepare and respond to cyber incidents. I also search for malicious activity in client networks, or the signatures of certain threat actors, and piece together events by creating a chain of evidence. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Have an investigative mindset and think outside the box.
• Are interested in learning how to use various tools and technologies to understand a cyber breach.
• Are resilient and remain calm under pressure.
• Are interested in learning how to program and script. 

“My favourite thing about working at CyberCX is the team. They’re always supportive and I’ve never felt afraid to ask questions when I’m unsure. I’ve been guided and supported during my journey here at CyberCX and am continuously learning new things from my colleagues.”

Suyash Tripathi – Investigator, Digital Forensics and Incident Response 

Cloud Security and Solutions

Pathway: Technical

As an Associate Cloud Engineer in Cloud Security and Solutions, I am responsible for supporting Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services cloud environments for our clients. A typical day might involve ensuring service level agreements are met and monitoring alerts to ensure the smooth operation of cloud services. Typical requests can include creating user accounts, managing Privileged Identity Management security groups, and troubleshooting connectivity issues.  

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Enjoy building and updating complex systems.
• Are methodical in your approach to delivering an outcome.
• Enjoy technical themes and understanding how things work.
• Enjoy troubleshooting to identify and resolve.

Pathway: Consulting

As an Associate in Cloud Security and Solutions, I conduct IRAP assessments, cloud architecture reviews, and develop security risk management plans. A typical day might involve engaging with clients to evaluate their infrastructure against security frameworks and developing reports that assist in strengthening their cyber security posture. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Enjoy strategising and thinking innovatively to create complex systems.
• Enjoy troubleshooting to identify and resolve faults.
• Enjoy following structured processes and methodologies to deliver outcomes.
• Are a strategic and innovative thinker and like working in complex environments.

“At CyberCX, the opportunities are boundless, with a community that’s eager to back your learning journey and facilitate your chosen path. You’re in the company of exceptional people who are all dedicated to fostering both individual and organisational growth.”

Nicholas Tillack – Cloud Security Associate, Cloud Security and Solutions

Network Infrastructure and Solutions

Pathway: Technical

As an Associate in Network and Infrastructure Solutions, I help clients protect their digital assets and infrastructure through the design and implementation of technology solutions. A typical day might involve assisting clients to configure firewalls or working with the team to review networking solution options. I have specialised knowledge in certain firewall solutions such as Palo Alto Networks, Checkpoint and FortiGate. 

You will be a great fit if you… 

• Have a methodical and analytical mindset.
• Enjoy deep diving into a problem and understanding how technologies work.
• Have strong attention to detail.
• Enjoy using various tools and technologies to prevent information falling into the wrong hands.