Welcome To CoLab, Will!

Tell us a little about yourself, Will!

Hello everyone, I’m Will! I’m originally from St. John’s, NL and I moved to Halifax, NS a few years back after finishing my degree in mechanical engineering. I feel like I’ve had a lot of formative experiences in Halifax: meeting diverse new people, eating LOTS of great food, and working in big companies to advance their cybersecurity (and learning a ton along the way!). A few months ago, things came full circle for me as I joined CoLab and moved back to NL—I couldn’t be happier! The dust is still settling since the move, but when I’m not working I also like to write songs and paint abstract art.

How did you first get into information security?

It’s been an interesting path for me since cybersecurity is a bit of a stretch from mechanical engineering! I worked as a systems engineer on a cybersecurity team in a previous job, so that really helped bridge the gap. This field moves fast so I also pursued a certification in Offensive Security (“hacking” things!) to improve my technical skills. I completed the OSCP certification about a year ago, but I feel like I’m still recovering from the 24-hour exam lol.

Why did you first join CoLab and what are you most excited about?

As it turns out, I went to university with CoLab’s founders! These guys are some of the smartest people I know and I think they’re creating great opportunities here in NL. I was really impressed with CoLab’s approach to security, so it was an easy decision to come on board. I’m most excited about working alongside experts in the field as I’m able to always learn something new!

If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs—such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?

I’m a pretty big music nerd and love old-school recording equipment! I once drove all the way to the US to pick up a reel-to-reel tape machine for that 70’s recording sound! So I’d probably take that, as well as my acoustic guitar.