“Following Temitope’s impressive performance in the first month, her employer quickly sought to recruit more CyberGirls Alumni”
Temitope Bankole
Time and Chance: Temitope Bankole’s Cybersecurity Journey
Meet Temitope Bankole, a proud CyberGirl Alumni whose path to the tech industry was anything but routine. Originally hoping to be a neurosurgeon, she eventually found herself in the field of computer technology after encountering various obstacles while applying to universities.
She obtained valuable teaching and public speaking experience while studying physics instruction at the Federal College of Education. Her inner passion, on the other hand, was pulling her on a different path. During the COVID-19 outbreak, Temitope pursued web programming at a local tech hub in her community, out of interest.
Still craving more, she discovered hashtag#cybersecurity and felt it was her ultimate career path. She recounts how excited she was when she learned, she had been accepted into the CyberGirls Fellowship. In the program, she gained the skills and support she needed to succeed, but the journey wasn’t without numerous personal challenges. For example, she says, “On some days, I need to study, but there may be no electricity at home, so I will go from one location to another, asking people if they have and can permit me to use electricity in their homes. I always felt embarrassed doing this, but I kept reminding myself of my end goal, which is to break into and contribute immensely to the field of cybersecurity.”
Despite multiple rejections during her job search, Temitope’s perseverance eventually led her to secure a job as an IT engineer, a role she loves because it also includes cybersecurity responsibilities. While not directly related to penetration testing which she majored in during the CyberGirls Fellowship, this position represents the beginning of her bright cybersecurity career.
Temitope’s journey is a strong reminder of the value of flexibility, #determination, and #faith in one’s own unique path, inspiring us all to confront life’s problems with courage, creativity, and resilience.
CyberGirls is Africa’s biggest female-focused free #cybersecurity training and mentorship program. An initiative of CyberSafe Foundation.
