Hacktales, a technology company focused on addressing the global cybersecurity talent gap by developing cybersecurity talents from Africa and bridging the cybersecurity talent market through its cybersecurity academy.
“As I climbed the career ladder, I realized it was difficult to hire entry-level talents. The organization I worked with at the time was an MSSP for organizations across West Africa and as team lead, it was my duty to recruit L1 security analysts to enable business expansion.
Most of applicants I interacted with struggled with scenario-based cybersecurity concepts. It was this realization that led me to training and mentoring the younger generation, starting with my team. “ – Chikodili Udeh, Co-Founder Hacktales.
Hacktales Co Founders: Chikodili Udeh and Olajide Adebayo – Image Credit : Hacktales
With the broadness of cybersecurity, it can get overwhelming navigating the cybersecurity career as an entry level.
While there are so many resources on the internet , it is easy to get lost and confused about your learning and what you need to focus on . What has helped cybersecurity enthusiast is guidance and mentoring.
In addition, having a structured platform where this support is provided makes a lot of difference.
Hacktales Training – Image Credit : Hacktales
An Inspiring Story of OluwaBamise
One of the most Inspiring stories from Hackatales is Oluwabamise (Bamise) Soile’s story.
Bamise is a graduate of History and Strategic studies from the University of Lagos. Postgraduation, she had taught History, Civic education, and Government in a secondary school.
She had no prior IT or cybersecurity knowledge before joining Hacktales where she started her transitioning journey into cybersecurity with the January 2022 Co-hort.
Oluwabamishe – Image Credit: Hacktales
Bamise came out top in her cohort and went on to specialize in Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC).
With the training provided by Hacktales, Bamise currently work as a GRC Analyst with a leading consulting firm in Nigeria. Today, Bamise consults for several organizations across West Africa.
Bamise’s story is one of the many success stories of individuals with no prior knowledge in IT or Cybersecurity who is currently excelling with the support provided by Hacktales.
The Hacktales Story
Chikodili Udeh, one of the Co-founders of Hacktales shared more about the Hacktales story.
What was the “this is it moment “and what are the problems Hacktales is trying to solve?
As I climbed the career ladder, I realized that it was difficult to hire entry-level talents. The organization I worked with at the time was an MSSP for organizations across West Africa and as team lead, it was my duty to recruit L1 security analysts to enable business expansion.
Most of applicants I interacted with struggled with scenario-based cybersecurity concepts. It was this realization that led me to training and mentoring the younger generation, starting with my team.
How has the Journey been ?
I would say that the journey has been demanding yet intriguing. It has been demanding as there is a general lack of awareness about cybersecurity careers and opportunities that exists in the industry.
On the flip side, it is quite the thrill to witness individuals grow from novice to intermediate within the span of a year. It gladdens my heart to see our students join blue-chip companies as seasoned professionals building a life-long rewarding career.
One of Hacktales’ goal is also to develop and sustain an enabling environment which empowers the next generation of cybersecurity talents.
With so many people trying to transition into cybersecurity or begin their cybersecurity career, what are the challenges the team has seen so far?
In our experience, most people who come to us have very limited knowledge on how to determine their area of specialization. Cybersecurity is broad and can get very overwhelming for entry-level individuals.
Without the necessary guidance, many of these individuals end up trying their hands at any and everything which eventually leads to burnout and abandonment of the industry altogether.
How has Hacktales been able to solve the challenges?
Internships!
One of the major problems facing cybersecurity enthusiasts is unavailability of realistic projects and the first-hand experience to facilitate technical skill development.
Today, there is a lot of cybersecurity crash courses out there. As a matter of fact, you can literally wrap up courses in a few weeks.
We experimented with this earlier on when we first started. Back in 2019, we launched a short course but quickly discovered that building a specialized cybersecurity career goes beyond crash courses which leaves learners high and dry.
An experience-driven learning model is the ultimate solution because most people learn by doing. This is where internships win. Our focus is to equip learners with hands-on engagements that foster the application of theoretical knowledge.
At Hacktales, we have partnered with industry thought leaders to bridge the cybersecurity talent gap by providing access to hands-on trainings, internships, and career mentorship for youths across Africa.
What is the one thing that makes Hacktales different?
The delivery of our program which involves a reinforced learning model backed by industry experience is second to none.
Through Hacktales, learners are exposed to cybersecurity fundamentals and career coaching. After which, they choose a desired career path and develop specialized hands-on skills with access to mentorship, certifications, and job shadowing opportunities.
By the end of the program, upskilled individuals are linked with recruiters to secure job placements.
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Hackatales is envisioning a future where it will be a part of the success stories for world class cybersecurity talents across the globe.
If you are interested in joining the Hacktales academy or have more questions about the academy, you can send them an email at [email protected] and visit their website here
