“I always knew I wanted to start my higher education career at Collin College. Going to a university was just too expensive and not much of an option for me at that point,” Hamza said. “One of the determining factors of selecting cybersecurity as a career was the guarantee that I could start and finish a four-year degree at Collin College.”
Admittedly, Hamza said she was a bit intimidated to take on this career path, as she always envisioned exploring the business world. However, when walking through the process and telling herself to ‘just try it,’ the number of supportive resources around her made it easy to conquer her initial hesitancy.
“When applying, I checked off cybersecurity on a whim, not knowing everything it entailed,” she said. “But in a matter of weeks, I was surrounded by professors who cared, who didn’t mind having one-on-one instructional time with me, and who, above all, recognized my potential. I had the best professors.”
After the numerous hours of hands-on training alongside her classmates in small classroom settings, Hamza was offered a glimpse of what her future could hold. She emphasized the importance of perseverance, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace change — qualities that are essential in the fast-paced world of cybersecurity.
“I was always looking for ways to learn even outside the classroom and asking my professors for better understanding. I lost my fear of asking for help,” Hamza said. “Now, I am starting my career with the same mentality, and it’s helped me so much.”
As an asset analyst, Hamza is responsible for keeping track of her company’s physical assets such as computers, iPads, and printers, keeping them secured and safe from external dangers and staying on top of needed updates.
“I’m already looking forward to the next step at my current company where I’ve been able to grow my skills,” Hamza said. “Soon, I’ll be preparing to step into a cybersecurity analyst role.”
The BAT was introduced in 2020 at Collin College, and the program more than doubled its enrollment after the first year. Four years down the road, the cybersecurity program has seen success as it continuously grows. Damien Smith, director of the Cybersecurity program, credits this to the quality of education offered.
“Collin College offers experiential training that will help any student jump-start their career in cybersecurity. We focus on hands-on experience, whereas other educational institutions might concentrate on theoretical knowledge. We know our students will be industry-ready.”
For Hamza, her career path has already made an impact to those she loves most. Her twin sisters who are only a few years younger than her have just declared their career path in cybersecurity, also at Collin College.
“Being the older sister, I’m glad I’ve been able to help guide both my sisters as they embark on this journey, but they know I can’t hold their hand through it all,” she said with a chuckle. “They’ll have to learn on their own, too! But the big sister in me will always be here to help.”
Hamza is determined to keep her knowledge of cybersecurity evolving and up to date. Her new goal is to pursue a master’s degree in cybersecurity in the next year or so. She adds that her career is only just beginning, and she can’t wait to see how far cybersecurity will take her.
To learn more about the Cybersecurity program at Collin College and all its offerings, visit www.collin.edu/department/cybersecurity.