Virgo Sun Pisces Moon

You seem to have this evolving theme about like, police… military… that kind of thing. It’s actually kind of “not typical” for women’s writing — well, from a more personal perspective. I’m not sure if I’m explaining this correctly, but I’m trying to give you space to explain yourself about this.

Yes, and the drafts about my Grandfathers are currently on hold. And I’m trying to unravel this to get to talking about my intentions for a career in Cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity. I’ve been wondering about this. It’s a bit of a random change — not that I’m surprised that you’ll have a really, random change — but yeah, I’d love to know more about… why?

So… I do have family members who served in protective professions. I do have female cousins who have served — they inspire me. They are strong women. And I know I was the young girl who didn’t even want to be an accountant in Year 12 because it felt like “too much responsibility” but now, staring down the barrel of entering my 40s and I feel…

Ready for it?

Yes. Ready for it. Actually, not this second, not this minute. Maybe even not this year (for getting a full time job in the industry)… The pathway is going to take a long time, for me. As a woman. As a “mature age” woman student. There’s much faster pathways for everyone else.

Tell me more about them?

Well, in my understanding… first of all, the Aus government is already offering paid positions with education — so you’ll be in cybersecurity and learning on the job and you’ll get the university degree, it’s like a 5 year contract or something like that. (DON’T quote me on this! Google yourself!) Not sure if you need other foundational subjects. I haven’t looked into it THAT much because… that’s not what I want. Ultimately I don’t want to work for the government with a qualification in cybersecurity.

Why not?

I don’t know… I feel like I’m more of a corporate girly. At the end of the day. I wanna be a cybersecurity corporate girly. Does that make sense?

Right. I had been wondering about this… what happened with your original pathways in corporate? I was scared you got traumatised or something? I didn’t know what to think.

No, I’m not traumatised from working in corporate Australia (LOL)… but… I got to a point where I just felt, “Oh no… I don’t want to keep climbing this ladder” — and I really took that time. I went to work at the chocolate shop, I got the job that I have now… from the job that I have now; this is when I realised, well, almost together in conversations with Mum — what about cybersecurity? And maybe there were some influences with conversations with other co-workers as well, and just other media consumed at the time, in general.

It all just… developed all at once. From thinking about it, seeing some ads for education on socials… googling and looking into it myself… realising that, “Hey — in Queensland, there is free TAFE. I can just… try it first… let’s try it first and see.” Like I don’t need to commit to embarking on studying a full blown university degree just yet. Let’s try… TAFE first. So I originally thought I could just do a Cert 4 in Cyber (shortening this now, it’s too long of a word!) as my “free” TAFE. But no. You still need a Cert 3 in IT as the pre-requisite to get into the Cert 4. And then — “free” TAFE — you can only claim one. If you want to get to Cert 4, you can either pay upfront for Cert 3, then get the Cert 4 as your free course, or you can get Cert 3 for free, then pay for Cert 4.

That’s why you got a scholarship…

(Chuckles) Yes. So it was decided with Mum. “Who knows if you’re going to be any good at it? Just try Cert 3 first. For free.” So I did. I tried it. I got to know my classmates. My teachers. I got my teachers’ references for the scholarship application. I got my scholarship. I got my scholarship for Cert 4 to study it this year. It’s not a full scholarship — there’s still some fees. But yes, I got a scholarship and I can add that to my resume for my career in Cybersecurity.

(Nodding, smiling, listening)

So… after the Cert 4… I don’t know. Either I just finish it at that. — Many people do — or, if I keep studying, then I would do it as a part-time university degree. Already would get course credits for what’s been done at TAFE. So it’s like entering the uni degree with a few subjects already credited. But yes, I would want to do it part-time, which could take maybe 5 to 6 years. I am taking it SLOW. I am a mature-age woman student. I am taking it SLOW… very, very slowly… it’s all so new to me.

There was a point when I was struggling with the basic coding subject, and my brother was like, “Maybe… maybe you should stick with being a writer. Just try technical writing, for tech companies. You don’t need to try and work in cybersecurity!” (Laughing)

Like — coding is HARD! — So many people DROP. OUT. Because of coding. And I’m also still trying to wrap my brain around it. I haven’t even practiced it that much. I know I’ll have to later this year… I’ll have to really sink my teeth into it. Cert 3 was a good introduction, but Cert 4 will be more intensive.

Coding is that hard? I think a lot of Gamers think they’re good at coding.

No, that’s the misconception. And my brother has talked about this too. He’s more knowledgeable about all of this. But people THINK they’re going to be good at it — it takes a certain type of… patience… to be good at coding. You have to be able to sit with it. It can be long and tedious, and a brain strain. A really, really big brain strain. Even with A.I. help these days. The people responsible for the coding have really big responsibilities. Look at what could easily go wrong?! The Crowdstrike thing last year. It’s a lot.

(Wide-eyed) I forgot about that.

Did that news reach Korea?!

I think so? I don’t know now, did I read it on Korean or American news? I don’t know. Probably both.

(Chuckles) Yeah… I had some interesting conversations with my brother at that time about that. We can talk together one day, hopefully… you and your brother-in-law. (Giggles).

What does… my brother-in-law… do? Now? These days? I remember what he did, at some time in the 2015’s sort of? But… I haven’t been able to catch up with what he’s been doing these days.

I don’t even know what he’s doing these days. He’s very secretive about it. Almost as if his responsibilities are too much. Together, with my sister-in-law, they made the decision that she will let go of her job just to stay at home now to support him in his job. He is working from home, mostly. And he has a lot of coding responsibilities. I can tell you that much.

Oh? Okay…

There was a time when he had a government-related position, but he’s not in that right now. It is a private sector job, now… but just a lot of responsibilities. Millennial Men. In the tech industry. They’ve got a lot on their shoulders.

(Smiling) I didn’t really think about it…

Yes. So — he’s my main go-to for help, in any way, when I have trouble with my homework or my assignments. He’s still willing to help me to get through this Cybersecurity qualification. Not that I “needed” his help just to even get a Scholarship for Cert 4. But he’s willing to be my back up, if I ever need it. On this academic pathway. I’m not sure if at some point, he’ll even be like, “You’ve specialised beyond where I’m at in this industry” — and he can’t help me anymore. I don’t know.

And do you find that with a lot of other girls who are your classmates? They’re related to someone else who is already in the industry in some way?

Yes. It’s like that joke — there was a joke — I forgot where I saw it. About how women in a scientific field, in movies — they’re always related to a Man. Like their Dad, or whoever, was a scientist, so they became a scientist. And, similarly, in Cybersecurity — so far, and it’s not many women. We are so outnumbered. But of the few that I’ve spoken to — we’ve had some other “guy” in our life — who was already here. And they nudged us, “Yeah, go do it. You can do it.”

So we did. We went for it. And I don’t believe I would’ve felt comfortable with this, at any younger age… I have to admit this. I would’ve felt… a little overwhelmed being in a classroom where you can LITERALLY SMELL THE TESTOSTERONE — (Laughing) — guys have such a strong… SMELL…

(Bursts out laughing)

It’s okay, I got used to it. (LOL)… And no, it’s not an attractive smell. You’re the only guy I’ve ever smelt where the smell was an attractive smell. Must be the pheromones or something, I don’t know.

(Giggles) How do you know it was testosterone?

Okay?! Weird question… I suppose I don’t. Just an assumption. I’m assuming it was testosterone.

I was feeling really uneasy. “FUCK. She’s going into Cybersecurity?! So many GUYS…?! So many GUYS around her?!“

(LOL) — Trust me, darling. You’re Number One. There’s no competition. I’m just the Old Lady in class. There’s no competition. I’ve made my promise.

I think I might… be retired before you finish your Cybersecurity degree. If you go that longer path…

You think? The path might be even longer. What if, I get into uni, and I do really well? What if, I get into uni, and I get into Honours? into PhD? then that’s even longer. That’s like, a 10-year pathway that I’ll be embarking…

I think that’s totally okay if we don’t have kids.

Yeah. Exactly. IF we don’t have kids. But if we do? Well… you have to pay for NANNIES. I need NANNIES. Au pairs. Babysitters. I’m not going to do BOTH. I can’t do it. It’s physically impossible. For me. I need NANNIES.

(Laughing)

Okay?! Like. That’s what I’ll need.

(Smiling)

Love you.

Love you, too.