Student Stories

First of all, I never started off in the Cyber Security field to begin with. Prior to this, I was studying Marketing but eventually decided that it wasn’t suited for me. Hence, I set off in search of other opportunities and that is where I came across Cyber Security at PSB Academy (PSBA).

I immediately knew that this was what I wanted to do, and the rest was history as I began my journey here.

Studying at PSBA was quite different from what I would’ve ever imagined. Both PSBA and Edith Cowan University (ECU) focused on a curriculum that helped me master the skill of self-learning. Guided with the lecturers that coached me diligently, I was able to discover my potential in Cybersecurity and was pushed to achieve a level of skill that even I was surprised to ultimately possess.

Sure, I worked hard, pulled all-nighters whenever necessary, but these things weren’t the only ones that helped me become the top-student in my cohort. The inspiration for that were my classmates and the friends I made through the various clubs I was a part of and lead – almost always there helping each other while providing a healthy competition; and my lecturers who were always ready to answer the toughest questions I had, even when they weren’t teaching me that particular subject matter.

Learning took place out of classrooms and progressed to telegram groups with my classmates, where we worked on getting a better grasp of the Cybersecurity field. I was even inspired to start my own personal projects and managed to create a Bitcoin prediction algorithm!

Besides that, the student clubs at PSBA are quite helpful.  I was a part of Google Developer Student Club (GDSC) and I gave a few lectures on machine learning to other students from PSBA and few other institutions in Singapore, and this was a real conversation starter at almost all the interviews I had. Plus, all the networking, meeting people from the industry and being able to help other students get a better grasp at different topics while learning new things myself are just a few more things out of many to gain from these clubs.

And finally, my Applied Project that I was able to do as an Intern with A-Star added on to the fulfilling experience I had.  If you are reading this, I would strongly urge you to pursue this as well, the knowledge gained is unparalleled. It puts you right above most other applicants in job openings and you can have an amazing product in your hands! My group was motivated to pursue it further even after the project had ended.

Life has been amazing since I have graduated from Edith Cowan University (ECU) and ultimately landing the dream job as a Cyber Security Researcher & Engineer at ST Engineering where I was able to apply my knowledge to the job. Even after graduating, the lecturers and I have been in touch and they have stayed supportive throughout my career search by helping me prepare for my interviews and my first day of work at ST Engineering.

And if no-one has told you, work life is extremely enjoyable when you love what you’re doing and have fun with it. It’s getting paid for something you’re passionate about! Speaking of which, I have just received my first salary as I write this and it feels awesome.

But one of the most important things that helped me choose PSBA was their diverse selection of courses. I’ve been a techie all my life and it only seemed right to choose a field like cyber security for me, but you’d be surprised to see how few institutions provide such a selection of course, from business to sports science to cyber security, PSBA offers the range and I’m proud to have made it my selection.