With a full-time job, a family, and buying his first house, it could have been tempting to postpone his studies. But Simon Østebø chose instead to go "all in" and complete his bachelor's degree in Cyber Security at Noroff University College.
– It felt absolutely amazing to hit ‘submit’ on the very last assignment, says Simon Østebø.
Simon is honest that the combination of a full-time job, a newborn, and studies does not necessarily suit everyone. However, he believes the key lies in motivation and mindset. For him, his interest in the subjects made it easier to prioritize correctly, even when it was challenging.
Five years ago, I would never have thought this was possible. Simon Østebø
From gaming to cyber security
He has always had a passion for computers and technology and spent a lot of time in front of the PC. It wasn’t until he got a bit older that he felt ready to put in the effort. For him, it was motivating to know that there are real job opportunities after completing the education.
– Cyber Security became especially interesting after all the attention surrounding the war in Ukraine and the awareness that there is a high demand for expertise in the field.
Read more about the bachelor's degree in Cyber Security at Noroff University College.
A good learning environment, even online
For Simon, it was important to be able to combine his education with an otherwise full schedule, and therefore online studies became the natural choice. The class quickly developed into a strong community with students from all over the country. The teachers were also available and responded quickly, which provided support and reassurance along the way. Even with 100% online studies, he never felt alone.
– It almost felt like having a regular class. Without this group, the journey would have been much tougher.
Learning for life
The studies gave him more than just academic insight. He discovered early on that cyber security is a field where you never stop learning, because new things are constantly happening and you have to stay updated. Already in the first semester, he had a course on “how to study,” which was an eye-opener. That’s when he realized how unstructured he really was.
– That course put me on the right track, and I’ve carried that with me in life.
A broad competence
Even though he doesn’t work directly with security today, the education has proven to be highly relevant. For Simon, it also provides reassurance to know that he has solid competence to rely on if he wishes to change direction later.
– Cyber Security is broad enough that it opens doors you didn’t know existed, and the knowledge I’ve gained has already been useful in my current job.
– Don’t wait for the perfect time
Simon encourages others who are considering education to choose something they truly find exciting and to be prepared for it to be challenging at times. He believes it is the very challenges that can provide motivation along the way.
– It is okay to have tough days. The most important thing is that you try again.
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