Leveraging an Interest in Technology
Business Administration, with a minor in Sales, Spring 2023
What drew you to come work at the Cal Poly California Cybersecurity Institute?
Gwen was drawn to come work at the CCI for two reasons: an interest in technology and something flexible that worked with her school schedule.
Gwen’s academic interest in sales, coupled with her interest in technology, meant that the CCI was a good place to get a foothold for her next steps. CCI’s offerings of trainings and certification were very attractive for her as a candidate as she thinks this will be a great first step towards her career.
The bonus was that the CCI had very flexible work hours. Gwen was seeking a role on campus to be more involved, but she also wanted something to work with her schedule. Since Gwen is a self-starter, she can do her work around her class schedule.
What interests you about cybersecurity or technology?
Gwen’s introduction to cybersecurity started with family—her mom has been working in the field for the last 13+ years.
Since then, Gwen has appreciated the breadth of the field. Between her own research and what she’s learned at Cal Poly, the field continues to grow and new opportunities seem to be everywhere for every discipline.
What have you been working on at the Cal Poly California Cybersecurity Institute? And what skills have you learned or applied during your tenure?
Gwen’s time at the CCI has been spent working with data. Her largest project to date has been data reorganization for the CCI. She has worked on consolidating the data into one place to streamline operations for various activities, including for the Space Grand Challenge.
Gwen has also spent a lot of time researching and laying the groundwork for the adoption of a CCI customer relationship management (CRM) tool, as well as doing some analysis of various communications products, like the Space and Cybersecurity Newsletter.
As for the skills she developed while at the CCI, she is very proud of her project and time management skills. She had developed these skills before because of school, however balancing school and work has significantly sharpened it. Likewise, Gwen, has also learned a lot around data management (and manipulation), especially through the use of Excel/spreadsheets.
How does the Cal Poly California Cybersecurity Institute fit in your future career?
CCI for Gwen is the first step towards her career in the cybersecurity industry. Between the trainings, the networking made available to her by CCI staff and industry partners, as well as assigned projects, she thinks she has a leg up on her peers.
An example of this is the work she’s doing around CRMs—as someone interested in sales, she knows that she will be working with a CRM at some point in her career. Having this experience will best position her to understand how/what goes into a successful implementation for a CRM.