“I knew my time at the hotel reception had come to an end”
Teslimat Okanlawon’s
Meet Teslimat Okanlawon, a passionate Cyber Defense Analyst and Alumni of the CyberGirls Fellowship.
Her inspiring cyber journey began with a bold step of quitting her job as a hotel receptionist and applying to the second cohort of the CyberGirls fellowship in 2022. Teslimat had discovered the fellowship while volunteering with the NoGoFallMaga community, another initiative of Cybersafe Foundation.
In her words “I knew that day my time at the hotel reception had come to an end, so I quit my job, hit the reset button and started my cybersecurity journey. I knew I had to pay the bills somehow, so I got a job as a content developer which allowed me some more time to focus on my journey”
Throughout her time in the fellowship, Teslimat encountered various challenges, including technical complexity and balancing her job responsibilities. Undeterred, she embraced hands-on practice and utilized the CyberGirls community for guidance and support.
The CyberGirls Fellowship equipped Teslimat with a solid foundation in cybersecurity principles and best practices, fostering her technical expertise. The hands-on experience, resume building, and interview preparation sessions offered during the program helped her prepare for and land her first job in cybersecurity.
“I attended an interview to work as a SOC analyst on my cohorts’ graduation day and before long was contacted to start working at a top leading sub-Saharan security provider. Although I was trained in cloud security, I accepted the challenge and as a ‘voracious learner’ took some exams with the support of my cybersisters. This month I celebrate my six-month work anniversary”.
The impact of the CyberGirls initiative goes far beyond Teslimat’s success story. It has become a driving force, empowering talented individuals and providing equal opportunities for socioeconomic advancement.
