In this edition of Vetegrity Snapshots, we’re catching up with Brittany Sanchez, talking cybersecurity, career evolutions, and continuous learning.
What inspired your switch from mental health counseling to cybersecurity, and how did that journey unfold?
My sister inspired me to switch careers—she has a degree in cybersecurity and currently works as a network engineer. She told me about an open position and helped me apply. Shortly after, I started working and began managing data centers, where I was exposed to the world of IT and cybersecurity.
That hands-on experience motivated me to pursue a degree in cybersecurity and work toward earning my Security+ certification.
You became a site lead within your first year at Vetegrity—what do you think helped you grow so quickly in the organization?
There are many things that contributed to my success with Vertegrity. I had great leadership/ trainers who were supportive and informative, continued to give me the opportunities to grow and accept new challenges (as well as provided me with constructive criticism when needed). I continue to look forward to learning new things about the IT field and am eager to grow with new skills. Working in customer service before this position helped me communicate and understand customer’s needs.
What’s the most challenging part of your role—and what’s the most rewarding?
The most challenging part of my role is when I unfortunately have to deny customer access for not having the proper paperwork to gain access to the data centers. It’s also a challenge having to learn new processes as they’re often changed. The most rewarding part of my job is when I can give customers access to the data centers and they are able to complete work that is mission critical. Another reward is when I’m able to teach my team about different things either in the IT field or their position that they didn’t know before.
You’re working, leading, studying cybersecurity, and earning certifications—what drives you to keep learning and pushing forward?
What drives me to keep pushing forward is knowing the importance of cybersecurity and how it affects our everyday lives. For example, if a system gets breached within a major business or company, this can increase downtime where individuals cannot access the system, jeopardizes personal information or sensitive data, customer trust, and can lead to legal issues and financial loss. Beyond the technicality of cybersecurity, this career field allows me the opportunity to continuously grow and provide for myself in today’s economy.
What do people tend to be surprised to learn about you?
What others tend to be surprised to learn about me is that I like to sing and dance during my free time. Even though I have a very serious job with a lot of responsibility, I still love to make jokes and laugh whenever I can. I love animals, I currently have one dog that is 7 years old. I play with him and take him for walks whenever I can. My favorite holiday is Christmas, I love giving back and supporting others in need who might not get anything for the holidays.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about switching careers into cybersecurity like you did?
The advice I would give them is to make sure that it’s something that they’re interested in otherwise they might not have the motivation to keep learning. Cybersecurity is a growing field just like any other career, so be open to change and take on new challenges. Gain experience while you can, look for any opportunities that will allow you to work in the field while you are in school or earning a certification.
