Employability Bursary: Cyber Security certification
Read how a University of St Andrews student furthered their skills in cyber security and secured a job as a result.
What did you use the Employability Bursary for?
I studied the CompTIA Security+ certification (cyber security). The bursary paid for my exam registration and costs for a textbook to study from.
How did you find out about this opportunity?
I was exploring looking into cyber security as a career route. I had heard brief mentions of CompTIA (the certification provider) over the years from various people and online, so early in Semester 1 2024/25 I began seriously looking into the certifications.
Why did you choose this opportunity, and how does it support your future goals?
I felt that I was lacking some sort of competitive edge in my graduate job search. As a personal hobby, enjoy computing and networking and would work on projects in my free time. But I had little experience that I felt was suitable (and that I found easy) to draw upon in interviews. Studying for the certification demonstrated a genuine interest in the area, showed I was working to understand security in an organisational setting and showed that I am capable at a computing job role. It also gave relevant and well regarded information. Of course, it was also a valuable way to learn new skills, since the certification is entirely different to my degree pathway (Applied Mathematics).
What did you gain from the experience, and how has it helped your employability?
The certification improved my employability. It gave me something to discuss in detail at interviews which I found to be quite powerful and could be used in answering many different questions. I also found that I picked up new information well and actually knew more than I thought I did. This was a massive confidence booster and made me much more relaxed in interviews. I successfully secured a job offer in computing and a large part of one of the interviews for it was a broad discussion of computer security which I was able to extensively talk about as a result of taking the certification.
What advice would you give to other students thinking of applying for the Employability Bursary?
I’d advise anyone who is thinking of applying for the bursary to do so, even if you aren’t entirely confident that it will boost your employability. In my case, the positive impacts of my experience were broader than I imagined it would be when I was first thinking of applying. It improved my confidence, knowledge and helped me perform well in interviews and was useful experience to draw upon when applying for a broad range of job roles. I especially recommend it in cases where the financial cost is the main barrier for you taking the opportunity, as it helps ensure your personal financial situation doesn’t limit your future success. Its a great privilege to have access to the bursary so don’t pass up the opportunity.