When Lucy Walters first started her computer science degree, she initially expected to follow a standard track toward software development. But everything changed during a GoGlobal semester abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where she took a cybersecurity course.
“When I started the course, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s this whole other area of computer science I’d never thought about before,’” Walters recalls. “I didn’t even know it was possible for me to go down that path.”
Lucy and fellow intern Kayla volunteering at Seaspan’s open house, where friends and family of Seaspan employees visit the shipyards.
Fascinated by the fast-moving and dynamic field, she returned to Canada determined to carve out her own expertise through hands-on industry experience. That’s when she turned to UBC Okanagan’s Co-op program to bridge the gap.
Her co-op journey began with an eight-month internship at Seaspan, a major shipbuilding firm in Vancouver. Stepping in to focus on vulnerability management, Walters was tasked with prioritizing potential system flaws and communicating remediation plans to software developers and shipyard analysts. The role required her to master the art of translating highly technical concepts for everyone, from ground-level developers to executive stakeholders.
“That was probably the skill I improved on the most,” Walters says. “With cybersecurity, you have to constantly learn because there are always new cyberattacks and new technologies coming out that you have to keep up with. Being able to communicate that effectively was key.”
Lucy and fellow Seaspan interns Jasmin and Nathan after being interviewed by the company’s communications team about their internship experience.
Walters then transitioned from internal security to client-facing consulting, landing back-to-back four-month internships in Toronto with corporate accounting giants KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). There she settled into client-facing roles, which challenged her to think like an external advisor rather than an internal IT specialist.
She was tasked with completing cybersecurity assessments for clients and helping them remediate their vulnerabilities in order to lower their cybersecurity risk. This experience helped transform Walters’ technical computer science foundation into polished, executive-level consulting expertise.
Lucy and other cybersecurity interns with KPMG attending the 2026 Identity and Access Management summit in Toronto.
Her time in Vancouver and Toronto has also proven to be beneficial in other ways. “I feel like I’m becoming so much more independent,” she says, reflecting on her cross-country moves. “If there’s an opportunity to travel for your co-op, absolutely do it. You’re not just learning on the job; you’re learning how to adapt to new cities and explore.”
Finding Her Fit at UBCO
Long before she was protecting computer networks, the very first risk Walters took was simply choosing her campus environment. Born and raised in Castlegar, B.C., she was initially enrolled at UBC’s main Vancouver campus. But the summer before her first year, she made a last-minute switch to the Okanagan.
“I always visited Kelowna as a kid and just got a good vibe from here,” she explains. “I loved the smaller class sizes. Coming from a small town, it really feels like such a community here, and I didn’t want to get lost in the crowd.”
Hiking in nearby Big White.
That tight-knit community gave Walters the perfect platform to plant deep roots on campus. She worked as a Teaching Assistant for first-year programming courses, working alongside faculty and helping new students navigate their introductory classes. She also joined the campus club Girls in Tech as a design manager, blending her tech education with her personal love for art to design logos, stickers and posters that support women in technology fields.
“Getting involved is a great way to network and get to know people outside of class when they aren’t all stressed in lectures,” she notes. “Plus, employers love to see you’re active and engaged in your community.”
PwC interns attending a Toronto Blue Jay’s game as part of a summer intern social.
Advice to Future Students
Reflecting on a journey that completely turned her career ambitions around, Walters views extending her degree to complete co-ops as the most rewarding choice she could have made. For prospective students wondering whether to step out of their comfort zone, her advice is clear:
“Don’t let the fear of a new environment hold you back from taking a leap. Put yourself out there, join the clubs, apply for the co-op terms and say yes to new experiences. You never know when you’ll get the chance to return somewhere, so make the absolute most of the time you have there. Just soak it all in.”
