Nikolas “Connor” Batts did not start college with a background in technology or cybersecurity. Two and a half years ago, he had never even heard the term. A conversation with a family friend sparked his curiosity, which turned into a clear career direction through focused effort, faculty support, and hands-on experience.
Connor initially enrolled at Wayne Community College pursuing an Associate in Science degree with plans to transfer to a four-year university. After completing his first year of prerequisites, conversations with his instructors opened his eyes to another option: Wayne’s two-year cybersecurity associate degree program. With guidance from faculty members Jennifer Tyndall and Randy Wilhide, Connor decided to switch programs so he could enter the workforce sooner and begin building real-world experience.
That decision quickly paid off.
Connor secured a cybersecurity lab technician internship at Wayne Community College, where he has spent the past eight months imaging systems, working with hardware, and supporting campus technology operations. The role gave him his first professional exposure to IT and cybersecurity environments and helped him connect classroom concepts to real equipment and workflows.
With the instructor’s recommendation and CCN support, Connor also secured a second internship as a SOC Analyst at Montreat College. This role aligns more closely with his long-term goals in blue-team defense, networking, and security operations. In the SOC internship, Connor is already working with virtual machines, Kali Linux, vulnerability-scanning tools, and collaborating with other interns across the network.
Connor describes one of the biggest surprises of his journey as realizing that cybersecurity is not what movies portray it to be. Instead of dramatic “hacking” scenes, he discovered a broad, disciplined field that requires patience, deep study, and continuous learning. With no prior technical background, he committed to independent research, long study hours, and hands-on practice.
That discipline helped him earn the EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker certification, a demanding milestone that required mastering a large volume of material and developing strong study habits.
Throughout his journey, Connor points to faculty support as a critical factor in his success. His instructors not only guided him academically but also connected him to internship opportunities and helped him think intentionally about career pathways. Peer collaboration, especially through internships, has also reinforced the importance of teamwork in cybersecurity work.
Today, Connor is on track to graduate in May and is focused on building a career in blue-team cybersecurity, with interests in networking, SOC operations, and eventually cloud security. His goal is to be trusted to defend organizations, respond to incidents, and solve complex security and network challenges.
Connor’s advice to new cybersecurity students is simple and direct: stay ahead on assignments, go beyond required coursework, pursue internships early, and be intentional about where you want to go. In a fast-growing field, real experience and commitment make the difference.
Connor’s story reflects what the Carolina Cyber Network is designed to support: clear pathways, strong faculty mentorship, real-world experience, and students who are prepared to contribute from day one.
