Nico Ortel (33)

is living his dream life in Berlin.

Where do you work?

I work as an IT security consultant at CCVOSSEL in Berlin. We are an IT service provider and mostly work for medium-sized companies and corporations. We provide consultation on a variety of subjects, including IT architecture, IT infrastructure, software development, and IT security.

I’m part of the IT security team. I investigate and evaluate our customers’ current security, and then provide recommendations on how to fix vulnerabilities and improve IT security.

Why did you decide to work in Berlin?

I was born in Prignitz and studied education in Potsdam. Eventually all my friends moved to Berlin. So I decided to move here too. In Berlin I decided to change track and do an apprenticeship to become an IT administrator.

What do you love about Berlin?

I love that there are so many opportunities here. Privately or professionally, if you want to do it, you can in Berlin. I’ve been playing volleyball for years and was able to take courses and become a volleyball trainer here. Plus I could continue my education, learning to be an information security officer and security hacker. I wouldn’t have had those opportunities in a smaller city.

Who or what made it easy to start out in Berlin?

My friends. They let me move into their shared apartment right away. That was really important to me, and I’m still grateful.

If you could offer advice to someone who just moved to Berlin, what would it be?

Follow your dreams and chase your goals! Berlin has it all, there’s no need to limit yourself. The city is very big and very diverse. You just have to go looking.