This S’porean drum teacher quit music to pursue a cybersecurity career, here’s how he did it

[This is a sponsored article with the Centre for Strategic Infocomm Technologies (CSIT).]

After spending nearly a decade in the music industry, Solomon Soh found himself at a crossroads.

Having stepped away from his job in a local drum school, the 32-year-old was unsure of what to do next—that was until he came across the CSIT Cyber Traineeship Programme (CCTP), which encouraged him to pursue a career in cybersecurity. 

Solomon had always been interested about cybersecurity, yet the industry seemed out of his reach. 

“I saw the cybersecurity industry as one with a high barrier to entry because of how complex and diverse technology is,” he shared. 

Despite lacking formal technical training and experience when he began, Solomon is now preparing for a role as a penetration tester at CSIT, where he will identify system vulnerabilities by simulating cyberattacks. 

Here’s how he navigated the transition and made this career shift possible.

His passion was sparked in school

Solomon’s interest in IT first began back in primary school when he joined his school’s computer club. There, he learnt basic skills, such as creating simple games, and soon began experimenting with web design on his own.

Image Credit: CSIT

In the past, Solomon used to maintain personal websites. However, they were frequently targeted by cyberattacks, and he did not know how to protect them. 

Determined to safeguard his sites, he began researching about cybersecurity and ways to counter these attacks.

“As I researched the topic, I found it fascinating and enjoyed the learning process,” he recalled. “In my previous company, we relied on third-party software and systems, which I enjoyed scrutinising from a cybersecurity perspective.”

Despite his interest in computer security, the sheer complexity of cybersecurity stood as a barrier for Solomon—his main concern was whether he could handle the technical demands of a career switch into the industry. 

This is a highly sophisticated field, and I was worried about my ability to keep up.

Solomon felt that he needed many years of experience in IT to gain the necessary exposure before he could pivot into cybersecurity. 

He considered burning a hole in his pocket to take on courses and certifications, but the uncertainty of securing a job given his lack of relevant prior work experience dissuaded him from taking the plunge. 

After all, Solomon had often come across stories of people online who, despite earning ethical hacking credentials like the Offensive Security Certified Professional, struggled to land jobs due to their lack of industry experience. 

“A rare and valuable opportunity”

However, when Solomon came across an advertisement for the CSIT Cyber Traineeship Programme, he quickly identified it as a “rare and valuable opportunity” for him to pick up cybersecurity skills and make his dream career switch.

The first cohort of the CSIT Cyber Traineeship Programme./ Image Credit: CSIT via Instagram

The six-month programme welcomed trainees without prior tech-related qualifications, making it an accessible pathway for him to transition into the industry.

Furthermore, candidates will earn an allowance while undergoing intensive training and could be employed as full-time CSIT engineers upon completion.

“[The programme] kept the end goal of securing CSIT employment in mind from the very beginning, even before enrollment, which helped me foster a stronger sense of job security—I’d even go as far as to say that there was no reason for me not to join CCTP,” shared Solomon. 

CSIT’s Cyber Traineeship Programme covers several key topics in cybersecurity, including Python Programming, Penetration Testing, and Network Fundamentals and Forensics, which provide a comprehensive foundation in the field.

The great thing about CCTP is that the content is really geared towards beginners. It gave me a chance to learn a lot about concepts and terminology related to cybersecurity.

Image Credit: CSIT

Aside from technical education, Solomon shared that the self-directed learning portions of the programme pushed him to independently and proactively develop solutions with minimal assistance—a crucial trait for cybersecurity professionals to stay ahead of threat actors.

Throughout his training, Solomon has acquired hands-on experience working across both offensive (red team) and defensive (blue team) operations.

“The red team portion of CCTP focused on simulating adversaries using various public tools, [which deepened my] understanding of potential security threats,” he shared. 

“On the blue team side, we focused on digital forensics and incident response. Using digital tools like SysInternals, CFF Explorer, and API Monitor, we analysed real malware to understand their behaviours.”

Are you passionate about cybersecurity, too?

Image Credit: CSIT

The CSIT Cyber Traineeship Programme (CCTP) is open not only to mid-career professionals like Solomon but also to those from other IT-related fields and even fresh graduates with no prior experience or formal training, providing an opportunity for all to break into the cybersecurity field. 

It is divided into two phases: for the first phase, starting in July 2025, trainees will receive rigorous guidance from a professional cybersecurity training partner, Red Alpha, while in the second phase, they will undergo practical skills training with CSIT’s cyber specialists. 

Following this, trainees will build upon the knowledge gained through the CCTP as they prepare for a career with CSIT—just as Solomon is now gearing up for his role as a penetration tester.

If you’re keen on starting a career in cybersecurity, applications for CCTP’s 2025 cohort are open until 30 April.

You can find out more and apply for the programme here.  

Featured Image Credit: CSIT