Student Success Story: Brooke Andrist
It’s no secret that cyberattacks and data breaches have continued to proliferate within our global network. While some have looked to others for protection from cyber threats, many have taken matters into their own hands. Before graduating from SecureSet’s inaugural HUNT cohort, Brooke Andrist knew that she wanted to make a positive change on the state of cybersecurity. After completing the HUNT Program, Brooke was ready to help secure the future as an Associate Sales Engineer at CrowdStrike.
Before SecureSet
Before considering becoming a cybersecurity professional, Brooke spent several years working in the music industry. Brooke was part of various radio and broadcasting companies, most recently working with a world-wide digital audio streaming technology company. Although she was a successful professional in her respective industry, Brooke couldn’t help but notice ubiquitous headlines involving malicious hackers and the ongoing cyber breaches within various industries.
“Like many, I was continuously being exposed to announcements in the news regarding data breaches and personal information being leveraged by cybercriminals; I found this to be rattling, yet it served as an inspiration for me to take action.” —Brooke Andrist
The state of cybersecurity wasn’t Brooke’s only motivator in becoming a cybersecurity professional; her leap of faith into the world of cybersec was inspired by a source that was much closer to home.
“My nephews being brought up in the age of tech engulfment, always engaging with iPads, and smartphones, struck a cord of fear with me; I wanted to make sure they’d be protected.”
Feeling ready for a career change, Brooke began researching ways to enter the cybersecurity industry. She eventually found an article about SecureSet Academy. A three month, immersive education program sounded like a more efficient leap to take than the typical four years of university cybersecurity education. Brooke immediately signed up to be a part of SecureSet Academy’s inaugural HUNT Cohort.
At SecureSet
Like many other SecureSet students, Brooke was initially challenged by the curriculum of the HUNT Program. That said, she found that her background in Content Delivery Networks (CDN), web design, DevOps processes, as well as her motivation to succeed, allowed her to more easily adapt to the intensive style of immersive education.
Although she wasn’t equipped with a background in cybersecurity, it was clear to HUNT Program Director, Ajay Menendez, that Brooke was the ideal SecureSet Academy student.
“Brooke embodies what we look for in a potential candidate, student and graduate. She wanted to break into cybersecurity and she discovered that SecureSet provided the shortest path into the career that she wanted.” — Ajay Menendez
During her time at the academy, Brooke realized that succeeding in cybersecurity would require a commitment to continuous learning. She attributes her success to her rigorous and consistent study habits, an endless supply of flashcards and to the knowledge and professionalism of SecureSet staff members.
“Everybody was incredibly helpful and smart. Jose is fantastic, very intelligent, funny and patient. Mark from Optiv had a great teaching style, always infusing lessons with humor. ” — Brooke Andrist
Brooke not only excelled in her classes, but alongside her team, she completed a capstone project that helped her land an incredible opportunity as a Sales Engineer at CrowdStrike, a worldwide information security company.
After SecureSet
As a Sales Engineer, Brooke often finds herself as a technical translator for CrowdStrike prospects. Her primary job is to explain the logistics behind CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity technology while illustrating its benefits to a prospective organization. Brooke also uses her expertise to run technical demonstrations for IT Security groups, giving them an up-close and personal look at how CrowdStrike’s software functions. Another aspect of Brooke’s role is demonstrating a product’s “proof of value” through direct implementation into a prospect’s network. This gives an organization the ability to have hands-on access, giving them a real-time experience with the product.
Working as a Sales Engineer is more than just business for Brooke. Becoming a cybersecurity professional has given her the chance to help build a safer world for her nephews, as well as the millions of others who need cybersecurity heroes to protect them. Sure, working in cybersecurity will get you a paycheck, but for professionals like Brooke, the real reward comes from making a direct impact on the security and safety of our future.
Brooke Andrist is just one of several success stories to come out of SecureSet Academy. 90% of SecureSet’s students have landed a cybersecurity job within six months of graduation. Securing the Future becomes an achievable mission through the matchmaking of students, like Brooke, and SecureSet’s distinguished employment network.
