Angelee Palma

Security isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind when you think of BT, but when it comes to keeping everyone safely connected, ‘We Are The Protectors’. We sat down with Angelee to learn about her career change, how she’s grown her skills and knowledge of security solutions with us and how we enable her, and other colleagues, to feel like they belong.

What is your current role and what does a typical day/week look like to you?

I work as a Cyber Security Analyst at Sydney SOC (Security Operations Centre). The main focus of my role is to monitor and triage real time security events for the accounts that I look after as well supporting senior analysts do further analysis as required. My role also involves preparing presentations and generating reports to be presented in meetings with customers. In my spare time, I would do online trainings and courses that help enhance skills relevant for my role.  

You started off with a hospitality management degree and you’re now in Cyber Security. Can you tell us a bit about your career journey and how you got to where you are now?

I have always liked to develop my skills and challenge myself. I was in the Hospitality Industry for ten years, started as a Chef then moved on to working as a Quality Control Officer, during which I’ve done some internal auditing and regulatory compliance work. That’s when I discovered the interest I have in problem solving, investigating incidents, and finding anomalous activities. So, when COVID hit and I started to explore different career opportunities, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Masters of Technology Management with a major in Cyber Security caught my eye. Afterwards, I participated in a Cyber Security Cadetship Program to gain more relevant certifications and real-world work experience. Yet finding a job, I thought, was almost impossible. It was through being part of UTS’ Lucy Mentoring Programme (an initiative that BT in Australasia is supporting) that I was able to get connected with BT’s SOC managers and eventually landing a role as a SOC Analyst.

How have BT and your manager supported you with this career change?

My managers and everyone at BT have been very supportive from day one. I have been blessed to be given the opportunity to work in a role where I had limited experience and receive support and training necessary to succeed. Aside from the training tools and portals accessible to me I am very fortunate to be surrounded with bright and talented people in the industry, who are approachable and willing to lend a helping hand when needed. 

What kind of skills or certifications have you gained since joining the business? How have you grown your career with us?

Along with the hands-on learning experience that I get, I also have the opportunity to learn about various security products and solutions as well as access to several learning platforms such as LinkedIn Learning, Pluralsight and Crowdstrike University. This allows me to hone my skills in Security Monitoring and Detection, Incident Response and Threat Intelligence. I’m also in the process of studying a Microsoft Security Operations Analyst certification.

I would say that since I started with BT five months ago, my learning and growth has been significant. With the supportive team and resources available to me, I’m sure that I will continue to expand my skills in Cyber Security. 

Who or what makes you feel like you belong at BT? How would you describe the culture in the business?

A noticeable quality working at BT is how they pride themselves embracing the diverse culture of its employees. They are able to create a harmonious work culture, which coming from the Philippines, allows me to feel included and valued.  

What kind of innovative products or solutions have you had to opportunity to work with?

There are numerous Security products and solutions accessible to me within arm’s reach. So far, I had the opportunity to work with IBM’s Qradar, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender, Crowdstrike and Anomali to name a few.

What is unique about what we do for our customers? What is your role in helping our B2B customers stay safe?

A standout quality that I observe with BT is the intentionality to provide excellent service to our customers. Aside from offering services tailored to their requirements, we are also very attentive to their needs.  For example, we have daily calls with some of our customers which is not always common with a managed service.

As a level 1 analyst, I make sure that escalate alerts in a timely manner and effectively respond to the immediate threats to protect our customers’ security operations.

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