A Bootcamp Graduate Shares How to Rapidly Gain Cybersecurity Skills

With no prior tech experience, Jaerin Kim enrolled in a cybersecurity bootcamp to learn how to protect networks and systems from cyber threats. By graduation, she’d accomplished that goal—gaining career-ready technical and professional skills.

The UT Dallas Cyber Bootcamp curriculum includes challenges that simulate real-world cyberattacks and other realistic scenarios. In addition to facilitating an understanding of cybersecurity-focused skills, these challenges allow students to use industry-standard digital tools. For Jaerin, this feature was among the top benefits of bootcamp training:

“Being able to code and play around with the various tools that otherwise would not have been accessible was definitely one of the best parts of this bootcamp,” she recalls.

In addition to gaining familiarity with these tools, students use them to build projects and simulations. The cybersecurity bootcamp culminates in a final capstone project, which students demonstrate for their classmates and instructors ahead of graduation.

The curriculum of a cyber bootcamp—whether focused on hands-on skill building or live instruction—moves rapidly. That’s because tech bootcamps are built for tech career seekers and those looking to enhance their tech skills. And the sooner you complete bootcamp, the sooner you can start building your professional network and navigating the growing job market.

Jaerin describes her own bootcamp experience as fast, but manageable:

“The pace was very fast, and the bootcamp dealt with a lot of information. Squeezing it all into a short time seemed daunting at first, but the curriculum and the assignments made it achievable with a bit of work.”

Another notable feature of online tech training is the virtual classroom itself. Comprised of career changers and tech enthusiasts from different personal and professional backgrounds, students can build meaningful relationships. Jaerin notes, “I got to connect with various people of different backgrounds, all with the same goal of learning and growing into cybersecurity professionals.”

Asked what advice she would give, Jaerin encourages prospective students to take the leap and invest in themselves:

“If you are debating whether to take that first step, take it. The class is amazing, and you get to learn so much with a great team of instructors and coaches who are willing to help you grow. Have a curious and open mind and don't limit yourself.”

Interested to learn where in-demand cybersecurity skills can take you? Explore success stories to hear from other bootcamp graduates like Jaerin, then discover how your career can reach new heights with tech bootcamp training.