The Akamai Female Learning and Mentoring Experience (Akamai FLAME) was created to support and empower female tech talent to help shape the future of our industry. Our FLAME Trailblazer blog post series shines a light on the women who are not only navigating the tech landscape but also redefining it.
For this post, we sat down with Katrina Cole, an Information Security Consultant whose journey proves that a career in tech is a marathon, not a sprint — and that you can start at any mile.
Katrina, how did you find your way into the specialized world of cybersecurity?
I started my career many years ago in IT — we're talking Windows for work groups, 3.11, DOS, all of that. I started in an IT support role, but unfortunately I was made redundant. So I drifted away from the industry and ended up working at a call center. Even though I felt it wasn’t the best fit for me, I spent years working there.
But I couldn't stop thinking about IT and how much I truly enjoyed the technical side of things. I turned 40 and I thought: I’m going for it, I have to try. I decided I wanted to return to the tech industry and started my university studies.
How did you handle that transition to university studies at age 40?
It was definitely a commitment. I was studying during the day and working night shifts at a call center for housing repairs to fund my degree, using the quiet gaps between calls to write essays. I did a four-year degree, starting with a foundation year just to relearn how to study. It was a little bit daunting because everyone else in the class was so much younger.
I started out thinking I wanted to do forensics, but as I studied, my mindset shifted. I ended up loving security and I think that's because I'm more of a proactive person. I want to stop people from getting in rather than worrying about what they'll do once they're already in the system. That passion led me to become what I call a “later apprentice” at the age of 44.
My career truly took off at a conference. One of my university lecturers became a real mentor to me. He got me invited to a mainframe security event.
That's where I met my future boss. He said, “Give over your CV, and we'll be in touch.” I didn't think much of it at the time. Then, I got the job offer.
What’s been your biggest hurdle as a woman reentering tech later in life?
The biggest challenge is often just being recognized for your expertise. I went to a security conference a couple of years ago with a male colleague, and attendees kept directing questions to him, assuming I was his assistant rather than a fellow consultant. Even he couldn't believe it.
And, that's the thing: To be a woman in tech, you need to be seen, and if you're not seen, you're not going to get anywhere. You have to fight a lot harder than the guys sometimes.
You also have to silence the internal critic. You tend to doubt yourself: Who am I to tell you how to secure your business? Am I the right person for that? You have to remind yourself: Yes, you are the right person.
What is your message to women who are considering a similar leap into tech?
First, I think it’s important to reach girls before they've already made up their minds about their futures. We need to show them that technical skills aren't just a career path. They're a form of self-protection and empowerment. Understanding how to identify strangers online, use privacy settings, and protect yourself from harassment aren't just safety lessons; they're often the spark that ignites a lifelong love of tech. By the time girls reach college or university, they've often already decided what they will and won't do. The conversation needs to start much earlier.
The second piece of advice I can give all women is just keep learning and keep looking. Don't wait for permission or for the perfect time. At some point, you will find something that you love doing. The more you love something, the more you’ll put into it — and the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.
And, finally, don't be afraid to ask for what you want. The worst people can say is no and that just means there's another opportunity out there that hasn't come up yet.
What is one book that perfectly captures your mindset right now?
It’s a struggle to pick just one book, but I think Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis is apt. I think women spend too much time apologizing when we don't need to. Your dream needs a plan, not approval.
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