Image
Cyber & AWS Cloud Essentials Bootcamp: Key Takeaways and Insights
When the opportunity arose to participate in the AWS Bootcamp hosted in partnership with the University of Virginia, I immediately took it. I knew some of my peers had done it the year before, and they recommended that I apply. The application was emailed in early November, and sent by Hannah Pede, Assistant Director of UVA’s Science & Technology Career Community. By the second week of November, I received an acceptance email into the program.
One of the main reasons why I wanted to participate in the program was to learn more about AWS and prepare for the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification Exam. I initially didn’t give much thought to the cybersecurity portion but throughout the program, my fellow participants and I were able to grasp a deeper understanding of the technical applications of AWS and how it can be used in the cybersecurity field. During the four days in Arlington, our schedule would mostly look like a class session in the morning, lunch break, and an employer visit. My favorite part of our days was the employer visits – we visited CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) headquarters, Booz Allen Hamilton’s D.C. office, and an online Lunch and Learn with the NSA (National Security Agency).
All these employer visits connected by UVA Alumni were pivotal in supporting our learning of AWS. At CISA, I had the privilege to listening to a panel of employees, talking about their journey into the cybersecurity field and how cybersecurity is an integral part of our everyday lives. At Booz Allen, we went through a tabletop exercise – given a concrete example of a cyber attack, we collaborated within groups to point out specific problems and how to approach implementing a solution. We were able to understand technical jargon and AWS services (i.e. EC2 instance, S3 Bucket) presented in the example situation. The NSA Lunch and Learn was insightful because their usage of the cloud as a government agency showed the importance of learning cloud essentials.
Overall, the experience definitely elevated my interest in the cybersecurity and data science field. In fact, the class sessions held at the AWS Skills Center in Arlington encouraged me to study and take the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification Exam, which I recently passed! Tara Udani, my friend and fellow data science major who also participated in the program said, “I really enjoyed the mix of educational lectures and hands-on activities. The in-person visits helped me better understand how we can apply skills in the future and what our options might be career-wise.”
I want to thank Hannah Pede (Assistant Director of UVA Science & Technology Career Community), Kate Melton (UVA Career Services Associate Director), and Dana Quist (UVA Engineering Career Advisor), for coordinating the program and making it possible.
