Yesterday we had the pleasure of holding a session with Kate Bachman - VP, Corporate Communications & Brand at Invicti Security, a web application security company employing almost 100 people locally. Calling in from Boston, Massachusetts in the United States, Kate spoke with six female MCAST IICT students who are researching in the field of cybersecurity as part of their Software Development degree. Kate discussed her challenges as a woman in tech and as a leader throughout her career, and provided an overview of the key trends shaping the cybersecurity market, both in the US and worldwide.

A Q+A session was held after the presentation, revolving primarily around career progression and opportunities in this ever-expanding industry. Kate spoke passionately about the importance of finding mentors, both male and female, from different backgrounds that can help aspiring cybersecurity professionals overcome the challenges at that specific phase of their career, and also highlighted the importance of outreach and networking in building a career and a personal brand.

MCAST HackSpace would like to thank Kate for her time, wise words and especially for being so approachable.