Cy Says Blog & Podcast

With all the buzz around Artificial Intelligence and chatbots, it's prime time to discuss cybersecurity concerns. A chatbot is a form of artificial intelligence that surveys previously posted content online to synthesize answers to questions placed in its terminal. Being a function of Internet commentary chatbots may provide erroneous information. To better facilitate accuracy some companies have integrated these chatbots to automate workflows that expose data to potential issues.

Chris Cockburn, cybersecurity advisor for CISA, discusses how to get into cyber with federal jobs. He explains how to match knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) on your resume for USAjobs.gov. Networking with those in roles you want to be in is vital. Ask reqruiters plenty of questions to determine what you want to do and explore strategic partner universities  to potentially get internship opportunities. Most importantly find a mentor. 

Cybersecurity is more than SOC analysts and penetration testing. Popular culture may glamorize the two previously mentioned occupations but there are other cyber careers like cybersecurity awareness training, product management, network security, cloud security, governance & risk, privacy analysis, identity access management, and more. There are many parallels between SOC analyst and these other careers namely the investigation methodology. A good resource for risk management is following a cybersecurity framework

 Austin is a trailblazer in his family, breaking barriers and achieving remarkable accomplishments. He proudly holds the distinction of being the first member to earn a college degree, and to serve in the military, where he made notable strides toward a Ph.D. Recently, he's been working on his dissertation on Network Security, and his passion for the topic was apparent when he shared it with our LevelUp team.

Since the moment Austin was referred to CyberUp, he showed great enthusiasm. Austin was especially thrilled to have the opportunity to earn an additional certification through the Related Training Instruction portion of his LevelUp Apprenticeship. He opted to pursue a Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification and found the virtual classroom and self-learning environment highly enjoyable and flexible. Although he appreciated the independent study process, he found great value in having a mentor to support him through the program. Austin was so grateful for this experience that he expressed a desire to volunteer as a mentor to incoming candidates in the future.                                                                                                                                                                     

Throughout his journey as an apprentice for Centene, Austin has found the support of the CyberUp team to be invaluable. He thoroughly enjoyed connecting with other new hires and found that having a close-knit network behind him instilled him with the motivation to push himself further. Today, he remains excited about paying forward the kindness and support he received, and he credits CyberUp with being the driving force behind his success.

Online safety is paramount for Amber as a mom of two small children. Parents and guardians of elementary students especially need to exercise parental controls like cutting off in-app purchases and chat features. Amber also discussed limiting physical access to devices by having blackout times and requiring devices to be used in common space areas. Offline activities for devices are preferential and maintaining open communication with your child is a must. Knowing that your child is properly equipped with online knowledge and prepared to tell you if anything concerning happens is the goal.

We all know the catch-22; I can't gain experience without a job, but the job requires experience. According to Brandt experience is the number one qualifier for a career and the proverbial silver bullet approach is networking. Given the large reset of the global economy due to the pandemic, layoffs have plagued every occupation. Brandt predicts tech jobs will be more layoff resistant but not completely immune. The idea of remote work also continues to be a way of lowering costs in terms of labor and office space.

"Be a leader, not a follower" were the words that echoed Malik's passion. Armed with that motivational phrase, Malik constantly looked for ways to better himself. Knowing cybersecurity would always be an in-demand field was the impetus for Malik's journey. And, having a knack for problem-solving and analytical thinking made him a great candidate for cyber.

Malik's original aspiration was in the world of professional sports. As a college athlete, he channeled his passion for basketball into a position as a shoe store manager. Due to unforeseeable circumstances, he had to abandon his path toward playing professional sports. During this time, Malik considered engineering and information technology as potential majors at Maryville University. Ultimately, he opted for cybersecurity due to its parallels with team-building, an integral part of his basketball experience. Malik discovered CyberUp through a trusted source - a colleague who recognized his potential for a career in cybersecurity. Upon meeting with CyberUp's executive director, Tony Bryan, Malik's interest in the field was piqued. 

Through his pursuit of a master's degree at Maryville University, Malik found CyberUp was a valuable resource in supplementing his cybersecurity education. CyberUp provided him with a seamless transition into a career in cybersecurity, fortified by strong professional relationships to turn to for assistance. Malik notes that the opportunity to learn something new every day, a hallmark of the cybersecurity field, is one of his favorite aspects of the job.

Malik's apprenticeship with Centene through CyberUp paved the way for a full-time role as a systems engineer at the company. From his starting position as a security analyst to his current role, CyberUp played a pivotal role in guiding Malik toward a successful cybersecurity career. In Malik's own words, CyberUp positioned him for an auspicious entry into the cybersecurity field.

The eco-system for cyber needs to be revamped for the future according to Eric Dunker Ph.D., Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development at Arapahoe Community College. Partnerships and pathways must be the new school approach. Colorado's bipartisan support of apprenticeship has propelled partnerships in the tech space with region-wide incentives. It's not a notion of either apprenticeship or college but how both can work in tandem.

When deciding on a new hire your HR has to be realistic about qualifications for the role. They also have to find the best ratio of no pedigree but experienced workers (Bulldogs) to hyper-specialized professionals (Brain surgeons). Shorten that fantasy laundry list of qualifications to essential skills because those that meet the fantasy requirement (Unicorns) have jobs already. Don't forget bulldogs often become brain surgeons.