Cyber sleuthing

Kimberly’s interest in forensics led her to an undergraduate degree in anthropology, and several years later to McDonald’s Cybersecurity Apprenticeship, where she uses her investigative skills to identify and respond to incidents and potential attacks.

This month marks Cybersecurity Awareness month — an entire month dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. McDonald’s Technical Blog is focusing its content during October to cybersecurity topics.

For nearly a decade, Kimberly Simms worked in customer-facing roles, from hospital registrar to real-estate broker.

But Kimberly was ready for a change, and like Takeisha, she wanted a role that would be stable regardless of an evolving economy.

“I have a bachelor’s degree in anthropology — I liked the forensic aspect of it,” she said. “I also have always enjoyed technology, and cybersecurity seemed like a no brainer since it marries the two.”

To pursue her interests and move toward a new career, Kimberly decided to enroll in the City Colleges of Chicago’s Future Ready Program. In the fall semester of her first year, she had the opportunity to apply for a few different apprenticeships with different companies.

“I initially accepted an offer with a different organization, but then I found out I’d been selected for McDonald’s Cyber Apprenticeship,” she said. “The McDonald’s opportunity provided a more well-rounded experience, and more importantly, for me, it would put me on a direct path to getting started in a cyber career right away.”

Kimberly joined the Cybersecurity Response team, which focuses on identifying, assessing, and responding to incidents and potential attacks.

“I really like this area, because it brings in different aspects of forensics,” she said. “We also have the option to sit with and learn about other teams within the Global Technology Risk Management team, so we’re getting exposure to different facets of cybersecurity.”

One of Kimberly’s biggest concerns was coming into the apprenticeship with no cyber experience.

“People realize I’m new — not only to McDonald’s, but also to the industry, and they’ve been willing to sit with and explain things to me, which has been reassuring,” Kimberly said. “Ultimately, when I complete this program, I’m looking forward to seeing how the apprenticeship helps shape my career for the long term.”