Nathan Cordeiro: From Production Manager to Cyber Security Specialist

It’s no secret that we’re walking on shaky economic ground these days. This may have many looking at the long-term security of their current career and considering making a switch. Changing jobs, especially in the midst of uncertainty is a massive step and requires careful consideration.

If you have a passion for computers, a strong moral compass, and are a life-long learner, you could make the jump to one of the most in-demand careers, cyber security.

From entertainment to cyber security

This is exactly what 2023 Lighthouse Labs grad Nathan Cordeiro did when he began to question if his production management job could withstand uncertain times like the 2020 pandemic. In charge of organizing all sorts of events, from one-person plays to major events for the United Nations, Nathan realized that it was tough to stay in that environment and still feel safe in his job.

Turning a passion into a career

Nathan explains that he’s always had an interest in computers and computer security. Before applying to Lighthouse Labs’ Cyber Security Program, he did a lot of research and reading about current business environments, cloud infrastructure, and modern security controls. He also put his skills to practice on sites like Exercism.org and Tryhackme.com.

When the time came, he chose Lighthouse Labs because,

“Lighthouse Labs presented as one of the best, most established organizations that help with retraining in Canada. The bootcamp program felt like a crash course for the industry. You go from the bottom up, from the different components of a computer to disassembling programs and identifying indicators of compromise.”

Getting the job

After graduation, Nathan was able to land a job in Abbotsford as a Cyber Security Specialist with the help of the incredible Career Services team.

“Career Services was an incredible help in finding that job. Not only did they offer cover letter and resume support, but they would consistently reach out when they saw positions that were a good fit for their grads, maintained great community contacts to put us in contact with, and worked tirelessly to get us into more and more industry events for reduced or even free tickets.”

Where he’d like to go next

In his day to day, Nathan still uses the soft and technical skills he picked up in bootcamp as he works alongside the IT team to assess cyber risks and enhance their procedures.

He says he’d like to dig more into cloud and container technology and how these technologies change how we think of IT. He’s also been honing his skills with Docker, Powershell, and Power Automate to help automate and accelerate some of his workplaces business logic and data analysis.

As for those considering a change to cyber security, Nathan has this to say,

“If you have any interest in computers and want to pivot to one of the many career paths in IT and Cyber Security, this is the way to do it.”

Curious about what an online cybersecurity education looks like and where you could end up? To help you turn your passion into a rewarding career, our Cybersecurity Program offers quality instruction, a dedicated student success team, and life-long Career Services.