My name is Rotimi Ishola. My path into cybersecurity wasn’t straightforward — it’s been a story of curiosity, persistence, and reinvention. It all began at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Nigeria, where I earned a Bachelor of Technology in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. I was fascinated by how systems communicate — how logic circuits, microprocessors, and computer architecture all work together to make technology function. Several years later, I decided to broaden my perspective and pursued a Master’s degree in Environmental Protection at Euroacademy in Tallinn, Estonia. I found myself drawn again to the technical side — using GIS and ArcGIS-9 to monitor and analyze data. Those projects taught me how to interpret complex systems, identify patterns, and think critically about data integrity

During the 2020 pandemic, a casual conversation with a programmer friend reignited my passion for tech. I began teaching myself JavaScript, experimenting with automation and web development, and later joined the FreeCodeCamp Bootcamp to deepen my knowledge in React.js, Next.js, and SQL. What started as curiosity turned into commitment — I realized I loved not only building systems but also protecting them. That realization marked my transition into cybersecurity.

In the past 16 months, I’ve been working as a Cybersecurity Analyst, gaining practical, hands-on experience in SOC operations, threat detection, and incident response. I’ve used tools like Splunk, Wireshark, Metasploit, Eve-NG, Nmap, and Burp Suite, solving real-world challenges. At this stage, I’m focused on growing into a more advanced Cyber Security Analyst or Pentesting role where I can contribute to threat detection, incident response, and continuous improvement of security operations while learning from experienced teams.