I graduated from Sheridan College‘s information systems security program in April and am now working contract to contract with companies requiring systems security.
In order to comply with certain regulations, companies need to put security processes in place, but many don’t know how – and that’s where I come in. I get down to the very bones of the work: I design the solution and do the deployment.
I was 13 when I started working with computers, and over the years I’ve programmed in as many as 10 different languages. As technologies have progressed I’ve upgraded my skills every other year or so.
After high school I did a diploma in computer science technology at Sheridan College.
Systems security was something I didn’t know much about, but a lot of people told me that being able to do the technical work and understand the business talk is a rare combination. Technical experts aren’t usually very good presenters of information, and I found out that I had a valuable skill. Four years ago I bridged into the third year of an information systems security degree.
It was interesting to learn about intrusion detection systems. We did some forensics work in class and participated in hacking competitions. Sheridan came third a few times. The whole experience of studying and then putting those skills into practice in an environment like a hacking contest was very educational.
Through the competitions, you come to understand where the weaknesses of the future may come from, how systems are built and how vulnerabilities can come from any corner of the system. You get a taste of everything.
In the end, of the 30 to 40 who started, only 10 completed the program. It was extremely challenging. I’ve never had to do assignments as difficult as the ones we were given. Google doesn’t help you do cryptanalysis. You can’t count on help from a search engine it’s your own work. You have to understand the math behind it.
By the second year you know if you’re not liking the program – you can already taste it. You can see how difficult it’s going to be and how challenging yet rewarding. One assignment took me three 12-hour days. And I’m not kidding. We were not sleeping. We started in the morning, but it wasn’t all about sitting at a computer. It involved a lot of reading and looking for other resources.
The Sheridan program prepares you with more information than you will likely need on day one of your job. It touches on every aspect of security.
There aren’t that many women in this field, but that’s changing. It’s quite exciting to be in that wave.
My best experience comes when I walk into a room and the client asks, “Are you the project manager?” It’s quite funny. When I join a new team, they don’t have high expectations of my technical expertise. If you saw me, you could never tell in a million years that I could get into your computer. But as soon as I start talking, the confidence level rises 100 per cent.
There is no such thing as boring in IT security. If someone says any part of it is boring, they’re not doing it properly. I would encourage anyone to try it.
There were days when I thought I wasn’t going to pass this degree, this term or this assignment. Everyone has those moments, but I never let them stop me. I was working full-time and studying part-time, and then studying full-time and working part-time. And I have a son.
So if I can do it, you can do it.
Where to study for a technology career
APPLIED COMPUTING
Durham College (Oshawa) Web applications for mobile computing (graduate certificate): $2,768/year. durhamcollege.ca
Brock University (St. Catharines) Applied computing (computer science): $8,393.05/year. brocku.ca
Sheridan College (Toronto) Honours bachelor of applied computer science (mobile computing): $8,203/program. sheridancollege.ca
University of Toronto (Toronto) Masters of applied computing: $17,500/16-month program. utoronto.ca
University of Windsor (Windsor) Master of applied computing: $25,000/program. uwindsor.ca
Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo) Master of applied computing: $11,275/year.
GAME DEVELOPMENT
Algonquin College (Ottawa) Game development: $$7,337/year. algonquincollege.com
Brock University (St. Catharines) Bachelor of arts in game design: $6,377/year bachelor of science in game programming: $8,393/year. brocku.ca
Carleton University (Ottawa) Computer game development: $10,281/year. carleton.ca
Centennial College (Toronto) Diploma in game art and design: $8,455/year advanced diploma in software engineering technology – interactive gaming: $3,717/year.
Durham College (Oshawa) Game development: $6,936/year. durhamcollege.ca
Fanshawe College (London) 3D animation and character development: $4,147/term video game design and development: $3,441/term game development – advanced programming: $2,762/term. fanshawe.ca
George Brown College (Toronto) Game development: $7,512/year game programming: $3,881/year. georgebrown.ca
Humber College (Toronto) Game programming: $3,960/year. humbercollege.ca
Laurentian University (Sudbury) Computer science – major in game design: $8,151/year. laurentian.ca
McMaster University (Hamilton) Software engineering – game design: $12,203/year. mcmaster.ca
Niagara College (Welland) Bachelor of arts in game design: $6,377/year (joint with Brock University) bachelor of science in game programming: $8,393/year (joint with Brock University) advanced diploma in game development: $7,235/year. niagaracollege.ca
Nipissing University (North Bay) Computer science – certificate in game design and development: $8,549/year. nipissingu.ca
Seneca College (Toronto) Game art and animation: $11,472/year. senecacollege.ca
Sheridan College (Oakville) Bachelor of game design: $9,649/program game development – advanced programming: $15,692/three semesters game level design: $14,141/three semesters. sheridancollege.ca
University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Oshawa) Game development and entrepreneurship: $6,203.34/year. uoit.ca
University of Toronto (Toronto) Computer science – game design: $11,520/year (plus fees) gaming and information security (both are focuses for computer science): $12,090/year utoronto.ca
Wilfrid Laurier University (Brantford) Game design and development: $4,667/year. wlu.ca
York University (Toronto) Bachelor of digital media: $7,102/year. yorku.ca
INFORMATION SYSTEMS SECURITY
Algonquin College (Ottawa) Computer systems technology – security: $5,011.94/year. algonquincollege.com
Carleton University (Ottawa) Computer and internet security: $$10,281.55/year.
Durham College (Oshawa) Information systems security – graduate certificate: $2,768/year. durhamcollege.ca
Fanshawe College (London) Information security management: $2,050/term. fanshawe.ca
Fleming College (Peterborough) Computer security and investigations: $4,024/semester. flemingcollege.ca
George Brown College (Toronto) Network and system security analysis: $11,325/three semesters. georgebrown.ca
Mohawk College (Hamilton) Computer systems technology – network engineering and security analyst: $2,700/year. mohawkcollege.ca
Seneca College (Toronto) Honours bachelor of technology – informatics and security: $8,011/year. senecacollege.ca
Sheridan College (Oakville) Bachelor of applied information sciences (information systems security): $8,177/year. sheridancollege.ca
University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Oshawa) Networking and information technology security: $9,003.12. uoit.ca
University of Toronto (Toronto) Computer science – information security: $11,520/year (plus fees). utoronto.ca
York University (Toronto) Computer security: $7,102/year. yorku.ca
kevinr@nowtoronto.com | @kevinritchie
