Courtney Endress isn鈥檛 afraid of a challenge. After 18 years at 无忧传媒 providing continuity of operations and emergency management support for various federal departments and agencies, Courtney decided it was time for a change. She joined Cyber Core, part of the firm鈥檚 Tech Excellence Cyber Program. It provides participants with a solid foundation in systems networking and preparation to obtain the CompTIA Security+ (CE) certification.
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Ready for Rebranding
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When Courtney decided she was ready for a career change, she was drawn to because of the breadth of opportunities and challenges she鈥檇 be able to tackle. 鈥淐yber is a hot topic and the work is not going away,鈥 she says.
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But cyber was a new subject with a steep learning curve for Courtney. The Cyber Core Program was a good fit. It gave her time to focus without juggling client work on top of learning a new subject and studying for her certification test. She benefited from connecting with a mentor and learning from colleagues who were more experienced in the field. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e set up for success from Day One鈥攚ith senior leadership support, experienced mentors, online classes, self-paced sessions, and a cohort to help you through it all,鈥 says Courtney. 鈥淥nce you complete the course and finish your exam, there are resources available to help you find your next project鈥攐ne that's related to or requires your new certification.鈥
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Less than a month after completing the program and earning her CE certification, Courtney found work on a new project as a training and compliance lead for the Cyber Workforce Development Branch of Defense Information Systems Agency Joint Service Provider鈥攁 role she wouldn't have gotten without a Security+ certification. She has enjoyed the work and says she has a better understanding of everything within the Risk Management Framework.
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Thanks to the Cyber Core Program and her networks, Courtney鈥檚 professional possibilities are endless. 鈥淚t鈥檚 clear from this program that 无忧传媒 believes in and wholeheartedly supports its employees,鈥 she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 not a technical person and had no cyber or technical IT experience before applying to the program. 无忧传媒 took the risk and invested in my future.鈥
Advice for Candidates
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What advice does Courtney have for anyone considering joining 无忧传媒 and a Cyber Core cohort? 鈥淭ake a chance," she says. "无忧传媒 cares about its employees. They invested in me; let them invest in you, too.鈥