How Angus’s global mindset mapped his path to cybersecurity

For Angus McNabb, an early curiosity about the world has led to an unexpected destination: a career in cybersecurity. 

Having grown up in several countries overseas before moving to Melbourne, Angus developed a deep appreciation for different cultures and perspectives from an early age. After high school, he travelled extensively throughout Europe and Asia, including several solo backpacking adventures.  

It was these trips that proved particularly significant. 

“It made me recognise my own global mindset and desire to further explore this, leading me to begin a Bachelor of International Relations,” he says. 

After completing his bachelor’s degree, Angus turned his focus to emerging technology and Australia’s strategic environment. He began a Master of National Security at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. He was drawn to the program’s breadth, its Canberra location and focus on Australia’s security landscape.  

“I was initially hesitant about pursuing a Masters, but the program’s objective of preparing the next generation of national security policymakers and analysts resonated with me,” he explains.  

Finding his path 

Angus’s time at the National Security College at Crawford has taken him across national security issues ranging from Australia’s quantum technology industry to regional intelligence sharing and hybrid warfare.  

He describes his experience as “rewarding, challenging and thought-provoking.” 

One of the best parts of the projects was being able to shape his own research and work closely with teachers to explore topics that interested him. 

“The freedom and genuine excitement I had when engaging with these incredible topics was as a result of the inspiring teachers I worked with at Crawford,” he says. “Their expertise and constructive feedback always made me feel supported, and my writing and analytical skills significantly improved through close consultations with them.” 

He also valued the range of perspectives among his classmates from diverse academic, professional and international backgrounds.  

“I loved hearing diverse insights and opinions from counter-terrorism professionals from the Middle East and Africa, policymakers from the Pacific Islands and exchange students from around the world.” 

His experience included national security career sessions with industry experts and attending the NSC’s Securing Our Future Conference, which brought together voices from Australia and around the world. Hearing Colonel Jussi Kosonen from the Finnish Defence Force discuss security and national resilience as a whole-of-nation responsibility and Dr Atul Sharma discuss the risks of precision disinformation targeting the healthcare sector was extremely valuable.   

A guest lecture ultimately helped point Angus towards his future career. 

During the Australia’s Strategic Environment and Future Security Challenges course, Katherine Mansted, Executive Directory, Cyber Intelligence at CyberCX, spoke about Australian cyber policy and the associated threat landscape. 

“It was a genuine lightbulb moment,” Angus recalls. 

Captivated by the discussion around Russian cyber criminals and cyber threat intelligence, Angus followed up with Katherine after the class to learn more about the field and CyberCX’s work. 

“That was a pivotal moment in shaping my desire to pursue a career in cybersecurity.” 

Now, before he has even graduated, Angus has secured a new role specialising in cyber intelligence. 

“I’m looking forward to beginning my cybersecurity career,” he says. 

Viewing national security through a broader lens 

His studies have also changed how Angus thinks about national security itself.  

Through his research, he has come to believe that protecting Australia can no longer be the sole responsibility of government. 

“A whole-of-nation approach must be utilised, integrating civil society, academia and the private sector into national security preparedness to increase Australia’s resilience to emerging security challenges,” he says. 

That perspective will guide his future endeavours, as he recognises the value of bringing diverse actors across Australian society together to support capability uplift across industries and communities. 

For future students considering the Master of National Security, his advice is simple: take the opportunity to explore. 

“My advice would be not only to enrol and take a leap of faith, but also to make the most of all the opportunities which come within the course delivery.” 

For Angus, what began as a curiosity about the world has led him to national security and now to a cybersecurity career before he has even crossed the graduation stage.