KINGSTON, Jamaica —  Monique Satchwell and Rheana Hagigal are more than just work colleagues. Both young women, Tier Two National Security Operations Centre Analysts at the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (Ja-CIRT), recently won first place in the overall team category of the ‘SheSecures’ Jamaica Cybersecurity Competition, beating out dozens of teams from across the country.

The competition, which was undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of National Security and Peace and the Organization of American States (OAS), is designed to provide Jamaican women and girls, aged 16 and older, with hands-on cybersecurity training, while testing and sharpening their technical skills.

It also aims to empower more women and girls in the growing cybersecurity sector, thereby bolstering Jamaica’s cyber resilience.

According to the World Economic Forum, cybersecurity is considered the second fastest-growing skill category, behind artificial intelligence and big data.

“Take courage; you’re talented… talent knows no gender; don’t be afraid,” Satchwell urged, noting that women make up only a small fraction of the workforce in the male-dominated profession.

Hagigal told JIS News that her love and fascination with technology began in high school, driven by her conviction that the future would be shaped and powered by a rapidly digitalising world.

“I did cyber-security and digital forensics in university. I knew that the future was going to be cybersecurity, because everything is now digitalised. So that’s why I chose that path, because that’s the way the future is going,” she shared.

Satchwell discovered her passion for the profession during her studies at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

“I wasn’t always into security. I was an actuarial science major… so math is where I was primarily. But for some reason, computers really got my interest, so I ended up switching to a computer science major. After that, I started to learn about the cybersecurity field and I became very intrigued with that and I said to myself, ‘why not?’… so here am I,” she said.

Satchwell further noted that people often focus on technology itself, while overlooking the critical need to secure it.

In preparing for the competition, both women recalled the sleepless nights, the unwavering partnership, and the intensive training sessions.

“I’m proud of us. It was very rigorous… but it was well done,” Satchwell said.

Hagigal also shared: “This really means a lot. We trained, practised, and then we persevered.”

“We did a week’s training. We actually partnered with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) for our trainings, but  we did some personal training here and there. When I left the JDF, I went home and I practised as well… two to three hours more,” she adds.

Another Ja-CIRT team distinguished itself by securing second place in the competition, represented by members Zoe Duncan and Daneel Downer.

Third place was awarded to La-Shawn Richards and Donishe Williams of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA).

In the school category, Giselle Duncan of Immaculate Conception High School captured first place, followed by Jessica Lewis of Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in second place, and Rhia Lacroix and Kimberlie Lawes of the University of Technology (UTech) in third.

In the individual category, Kelleshia Fender of MOCA emerged as the top-scoring solo competitor.

—   JIS