Time for a Reality Check: Week 4 at SecureSet Cybersecurity Bootcamp

CORE Graduate, Kimberly Decker, shares an authentic student perspective of her experience and growth at SecureSet Academy.

If you’re looking at SecureSet Academy as an option for cybersecurity education, checking out our website and free events is a great way to start. Both will give you a better look at our immersive education model, as well as our overall mission of securing the future. But what if you want an inside, student perspective on Academy life? What is taking an immersive really like? SecureSet Academy alumna, Kimberly Decker, is ready to give you the inside scoop. Catch up on week 1 here.

Kimberly Decker is a CORE program graduate, who documented her time at SecureSet Academy during her 20-week immersive. Kimberly’s goal was to give “an authentic student perspective of her experience and growth at SecureSet Academy.” We’ve decided to compile Kimberly’s blog posts and publish them in a series, giving you a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to take an immersive at SecureSet Academy. If you’re looking to find out what academy life looks and feels like, you’ve come to the right place.

Week 4

My last 3 articles were full of excitement, hope and optimism, but who would consider my assessment unbiased if the only picture I painted was one of rainbows and butterflies. Unfortunately, there were few rainbows and butterflies to be seen by me this week.

Despite my best attempts at mental preparation, by the end of the week I was exhausted and overwhelmed by stress. The good news is that I feel confident there isn’t a single topic I can’t master, given enough time. The bad news: there isn’t enough time. So much new information is flying at us that I simply can’t find the spare hours necessary to finish lab assignments and homework, and adequately fill in the gaps in my learning. This situation is particularly challenging for me because my nature tends toward perfectionism: I don’t like to leave things unfinished; I don’t like to do a mediocre job.

I spent the weekend trying to come to terms with the fact that I will have to let some things go and that assessments may not reflect what I’m fully capable of in a different situation. I finally realized that sitting at the computer all weekend wasn’t improving my outlook, so I took a 5-mile hike on Sunday and talked things out with my husband. I know my classmates are experiencing challenges of their own and I hope they found ways to alleviate stress before we start again on Monday.

For the second week in a row, the highlight of the program for me is Cryptography. I enjoy the challenge of thinking through abstract problems and working with python to break encryption schemes. Another positive note was my selection as a speaker at the upcoming Front Range OWASP Conference. Of course, that means more workload on my plate!

To be continued with Weeks 5 & 6…

About the Author

Kimberly Decker graduated from the SecureSet CORE immersive as part of the Spring 2018 cohort. Before her time at the academy, Kimberly earned her Ph.D. in molecular biology at the University of Colorado. Kimberly spent years conducting scientific research, as well as working in the software industry. Kimberly has seen several job opportunities come her way since graduating from the Academy, currently working as a security program coordinator at Ping Identity, in Denver Colorado.

If you’re interested in starting a career in cybersecurity, our CORE, HUNT and PATH immersives can get you there in less than a year. Visit secureset.com to learn more about our cybersecurity workshops, immersive programs and free cyber events.

Did you miss any of this series? Catch up on Kimberly’s story here: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3