Elh Sow shares his insights with Maria Blacque-Belair, RIF Asylum Support Executive Director (www.rifnyc.org). If you have questions for RIF or Elh, please email us at [email protected]

Bio:
Elh Sow has resided in the USA now since 2016 and currently lives in New York. He works as a cyber security engineer at Flextrade. Originally from Guinea, Elh applied for political asylum in 2016. He pursued studies in Guinea and Tunisia and is presently in the final stages of attaining his master's degree in Cyber Security at NYU. Elh has also successfully completed several certification programs in the realm of computer networking and security, including the free four-month training program provided by Per Scholas, which ultimately led to his current role.

Q: What advice do you have for asylum-seekers waiting for many years for their interview?
Utilize the waiting period to follow your passion. Take advantage of training opportunities for skill enhancement and career growth.
Since 2016, while he has been waiting for his asylum interview, he earned an associate degree and am now finalizing his master's. He holds work authorization and is currently employed as a cybersecurity engineer at Flextrade.

Q: What advice do you have for asylum-seekers, particularly from Africa, who are living in different countries other than the US?
Today's technology enables African asylum-seekers globally to access training with just a computer and internet connection. Numerous online platforms provide valuable tutorials and hands-on labs, often at minimal or no cost. Check out the recommended links below for more information:
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Resources:

Per Scholas:
https://perscholas.org/courses/cybers...

Udemy:
Tons of trainings, however, the ones provided by Jason Dion are good a start. (requires $10-$20)
https://www.udemy.com/course/comptiac...
Alternatively:
CompTIA CySA+ Full Course Part 01: What is the CompTIA CySA+ Exam?

ISC2: Entry Level Training
https://www.isc2.org/landing/1mcc

Computer Security (Free Security/IT/Programming Books):
http://www.freetechbooks.com/computer...

MITOpenCourse:
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-033-com...

*Edx.org: requires enrollment
https://www.edx.org/learn/cybersecuri...

*Offensive Security:
   • Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing  
https://tryhackme.com/module/introduc...
https://www.hackthebox.com/