Matt Watkins

Matt Watkins had a background in educational safety and security, but he knew he wanted to make the switch to a career in cybersecurity. He soon discovered Per Scholas. It seemed like a perfect fit for what he was looking for, and he immediately applied.

“Being able to find an organization like PerScholas that is filled with connections and people that are willing to help get your foot in the door has been a great experience for me,” Matt reflected. “[I received] the same training and the same credentials as if I were to pay $16,000-$20,000 from someone else.”

The course was tough, but the staff and teachers were incredibly supportive and encouraging, and provided great resources to the learners throughout the program. “They go above and beyond and they actually want you to get through it,” Matt said.

Matt also found the professional development portion of the program to be very helpful, particularly the mock interviews and networking opportunities he was able to take part in during the course. “One of the biggest benefits of Per Scholas was them being able to put us in the room with people that we wouldn’t normally be in the room with,” Matt recalled. “We were in the room with CCOs and CEOs and big movers and decision makers in the corporate IT cybersecurity space.

Since graduating, Matt has continued on to complete his CSAP, CySA+, and Security+ certifications. He accepted an apprenticeship position as a Risk Analyst with CyberUp and is excited to continue learning and advancing in the Cybersecurity field.