Cyber Revolution Review - Ben's 18-Month Insightful Exploration in Cybersecurity

Summary

In this podcast episode of "Cyber Revolution," hosted by Adam Huitt, CEO of Cyber Revolution, Ben Wallace returns to share his experiences in the field of cybersecurity, having transitioned from a consulting background. Over the past 18 months, Ben navigated a career switch to cybersecurity, landing his first job as a cybersecurity consultant and subsequently securing roles in reputable organizations such as Cyber CX and the Queensland government. The discussion delves into his timeline, encompassing initial training, subsequent promotions, and the transition into roles with greater responsibility. Ben shares insights into the industry, emphasizing constant learning and networking as keys to growth and success. His journey highlights the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the cybersecurity industry, underscoring the rewarding yet challenging aspects of maintaining relevance amidst rapid technological advancements.

Highlights

• Ben Wallace shares his journey from a consulting role to a distinguished career in cybersecurity. 🚀
• The podcast uncovers the importance of continuous education in thriving within the cybersecurity industry. 🎓
• Networking is emphasized as a powerful tool for career progression in cybersecurity. 🤝
• Insights into the challenging yet rewarding nature of working in cybersecurity are shared by Ben. 💡
• The high demand for cybersecurity experts means great opportunities for career growth and advancement. 📈

Key Takeaways

• Transitioning to cybersecurity requires a strong foundation of continual learning and adaptability. 📚
• Networking plays a vital role in advancing your career and securing new opportunities. 🤝
• Starting a career in cybersecurity can initially be challenging, but perseverance pays off. 💪
• The cybersecurity field offers endless growth opportunities, with a high demand for skilled professionals. 🌟
• Being open-minded and ready to take risks can lead to exciting career shifts and promotions. 🚀

Overview

Ben Wallace's journey into cybersecurity is an inspiring tale of risk-taking and dedication. Transitioning from a consulting role, Ben embraced the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity with an open mind and a fervent eagerness to learn. His story is a testament to the potential that lies within those willing to step out of their comfort zones to pursue new, dynamic careers in tech.

Throughout the podcast, key elements such as the necessity for lifelong learning and the significant impact of networking are brought to the forefront. Ben's narrative emphasizes how continuous upskilling is indispensable in keeping pace with the rapid advancements that characterize the cybersecurity field. Moreover, building connections proved crucial to his swift career ascent and multiple promotions.

Cybersecurity offers limitless opportunities for growth, as evidenced by Ben's rise through the ranks to influential positions in major organizations. Despite initial hurdles, his tenacity and adaptability facilitated his journey from a novice to a sought-after professional within the industry. Ben’s experiences serve as a beacon for others contemplating a similar career path, illustrating that with persistence and learning, the sky is the limit.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction to Cyber Revolution Podcast The chapter introduces the Cyber Revolution podcast, aiming to educate listeners about cybersecurity. It discusses the transition into a cybersecurity role and career changes involved in this process. The host, Adam Huitt, CEO of Cyber Revolution, welcomes listeners and introduces a repeat guest who is an alumni student.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Guest Introduction - Ben Wallace This chapter introduces Ben Wallace, a returning guest to the podcast. In a friendly exchange, the host Adam and Ben recall Ben's previous appearance on the show, which occurred about eight months ago. In that earlier interview, they discussed Ben's academic pursuits and journey into his first professional role. The introductory banter sets the stage for further conversation about Ben's experiences and developments since his last visit.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Ben's First Appearance on the Podcast The chapter titled 'Ben's First Appearance on the Podcast' features Ben discussing his successful entry into the cybersecurity field. Ben shares insights about landing his first job, navigating the early stages of his career, and the experiences he's amassed so far in the industry. The discussion resonates with the audience, particularly those interested in cybersecurity, as it ties back to feedback received over the holiday break. Last year, a new student featured weekly discussed their journey from interviews to their initial weeks in a cybersecurity role, aligning with Ben's narrative.
• 02:00 - 03:00: Feedback and Audience Interest The chapter explores feedback from listeners who are curious about real experiences in the industry at various stages, such as six months, one year, or two years in. The focus is on learning experiences and the support received. The discussion includes insights from both new students and alumni, with alumni sharing their industry journeys. The chapter sets the context for upcoming episodes by emphasizing the importance of industry perspectives.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Overview of Cyber Revolution The chapter titled 'Overview of Cyber Revolution' introduces Cyber Revolution as Australia's only dedicated cybersecurity training and placement institute. The focus of the organization is to help individuals secure their first job in cybersecurity. Over the years, Cyber Revolution has successfully assisted hundreds of people in entering the cybersecurity field and has educated thousands more through their podcast, which serves as a primary medium for outreach and learning in cybersecurity.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Ben's Start in Cybersecurity The chapter focuses on dispelling common misconceptions about cybersecurity and aims to educate listeners on what cybersecurity entails. It provides guidance on transitioning into a cybersecurity role and changing careers. The chapter sets the stage for a discussion on Ben's journey in cybersecurity, noting that 18 months ago, he started his first role as a cybersecurity consultant. The podcast is positioned as a helpful resource for those interested in cybersecurity career changes.
• 05:00 - 06:00: Timeline of Ben's 18 Months in Cybersecurity The chapter begins with a brief overview of Ben's journey in cybersecurity over the past 18 months. Ben highlights that he secured his first position at Cyber CX through their Academy program's second cohort. With a background in consulting, Ben was integrated into the consulting arm of Cyber CX, specifically focusing on Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC).
• 06:00 - 07:00: Promotion to Consultant Role The chapter discusses the transition to a consultant role. It begins with an overview of governance, risk, and compliance tasks such as auditing, testing, and stakeholder interviews. The narrator reflects on the natural ease they had with stakeholder engagement, which facilitated their career progression. At about 12 months into their role at CCX, they were promoted to a consultant position, noting a significant progression from six months prior.
• 07:00 - 08:00: Current Role in Queensland Government The narrator completed their training at the academy and initially assisted on various projects. After 12 months, they were promoted to consultant, allowing them to lead their own projects and supervise associates. An ex-colleague approached the narrator with a job offer, suggesting a new opportunity.
• 08:00 - 09:00: Career Progression in Cybersecurity The chapter titled 'Career Progression in Cybersecurity' discusses the speaker's career journey leading up to their recruitment into the Queensland government. This significant career milestone is highlighted as a part of their professional development. Additionally, the chapter touches on personal life changes occurring simultaneously, such as becoming a new parent and moving into a new home, adding to the complexity and excitement of this period. The chapter underscores the busy yet rewarding experience over the past 18 months.
• 09:00 - 10:00: Career Goals and Expectations In this chapter titled 'Career Goals and Expectations', the conversation reflects on the significant personal and career changes that have occurred over the past three years for an individual. This includes building a house, having a child, and embarking on a completely new career, specifically in the field of cyber security. The discussion also highlights the individual's initial interest in cyber security, which began after they learned about Cyber Revolution, leading to further conversations and a decision to pursue a career in that direction.
• 10:00 - 11:00: Job Transition and Personal Life The chapter delves into the uncertainties and challenges associated with a job transition, especially when moving from a stable recruiting job to a new role in a different industry. The individual experienced a significant career shift when offered a position with Cyber CX. Despite the offer coming during maternity leave, just two weeks after welcoming a daughter, the opportunity was notable for its potential. However, it also came with a notable decrease in salary, reflecting both the risks and sacrifices inherent in career changes.
• 11:00 - 12:00: Industry Growth and Opportunities The chapter titled 'Industry Growth and Opportunities' discusses the personal experience of an individual who, with the support of their spouse, took a risk that has ultimately proven successful. The speaker reflects on their career transition from a recruiting role to their current position, noting that while both entail hard work, they now earn more than before, implying financial growth and stability. The transition highlights the notion of taking calculated risks in one's career to achieve greater financial and personal satisfaction.
• 12:00 - 13:00: Key Lessons and Growth in Cybersecurity The chapter titled 'Key Lessons and Growth in Cybersecurity' highlights the unique pressures and learning opportunities in the cybersecurity field. Unlike sales, where success is measured by the next sale, cybersecurity involves a constant learning curve and project-based work. The focus is on developing skills and completing tasks rather than dealing with the immediate pressure of sales. The chapter emphasizes the limitless potential for growth in the cybersecurity sector, suggesting that while there is guaranteed salary, the real challenge and opportunity lie in the continuous learning and adaptation required in the field.
• 13:00 - 14:00: Learning and Career Development The chapter "Learning and Career Development" discusses the initial career stages in the cybersecurity field. It highlights the common pathway for individuals changing careers into cybersecurity, which usually begins with an associate program or similar supportive role. During the first six months, new hires are expected to learn by shadowing and receive training and support from the business. The organization Cyber Revolution is specifically mentioned as a provider of industry certifications to aid in this career transition.
• 14:00 - 15:00: Ben's Advice for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals The chapter titled 'Ben's Advice for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals' discusses the practical steps one can take to enter the cybersecurity field. The focus is on building basic knowledge through comprehensive certifications over a period of six to eight months. Once equipped with foundational skills, individuals are assisted in securing roles within the industry. The importance of continuous support from the hiring organization is emphasized as crucial for the new employee's development, typically taking two to six months to fully integrate and be completely operational, depending on the organization's size and scale.
• 15:00 - 16:00: Networking and Career Building The chapter discusses the professional progression of an individual in their career as a GC consultant. After an initial six months, the person is promoted from a junior to an associate GC consultant. This marks their first promotion. After another 12 months, they are promoted to a full GC consultant, where they take on more responsibilities, such as leading simpler client engagements and guiding newer associates.
• 16:00 - 17:00: Conclusion and Contact Information The protagonist feels confident about their ability to manage more complex engagements within a 12-month period due to strong team support and encouragement from direct managers. They discuss their aggressive strategy drawn from previous senior roles.

Cyber Revolution Review - Ben's 18-Month Insightful Exploration in Cybersecurity Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 to educate people on what cyber security is how you can transition into a cyber security role how you can change careers into it and then what's involved once you've been able to do that as [Music] well hello everyone and welcome back to the Cyber Revolution podcast thanks for joining us yet again I'm Adam huitt the CEO of cyber Revolution and today I joined by a repeat guest an alumni student of ours and just an absolute
• 00:30 - 01:00 Legend of a guy Ben Wallace Ben how you going yeah good Adam thanks for having me mate thanks for coming back on um as I mentioned yeah Ben's done the podcast before it was say off the top of my head around eight months ago or so um maybe a little bit more yeah we're just talking you know off a and um you know I think your first appearance was we were speaking about your we were talking about your studies we're talking about your journey into your first role and how that all came about
• 01:00 - 01:30 um and how you just landed your first job in cyber security which you successfully did you've now been in the industry for some time now and we're going to hear a lot more about this next stage I guess of your cyber security Journey which is something that um a lot of our listeners are really really interested in um a lot of the feedback we got over the Christmas break because all of last year each and every week I interviewed a new student who just landed a role and they talked about you know just starting the interview process the first couple of weeks within a role
• 01:30 - 02:00 all of the overwhelming feedback we got from our listeners and thank you for sending this in was around all right what is it actually like in the industry what is it like a year in two years in six months in what are you learning are you supported all of that stuff people are interested in um and we are still going to be getting new students on but we're also going to be getting some of our um previous alumni students in alumni students in to talk about that and this is one of the First episodes we're doing around that so Ben thank you thank you very much before we get into all of that as I always do I want to
• 02:00 - 02:30 give our new listeners of the podcast a bit of an overview around who this is for who cyber Revolution are if this is the first time you listening in so cyber Revolution we are Australia's only dedicated cyber security training and placement Institute we specialize in helping people learn their first job in cyber security over the years we've been able to do that uh We've helped hundreds and hundreds of people get into cyber security uh We've helped thousands and thousands of people learn more about cyber security through this podcast and that's exactly what this podcast is for
• 02:30 - 03:00 it's to break down the common misconceptions really just to educate people on what cyber security is how you can transition into a cyber security role how you can change careers into it and then what's involved once you've been able to do that as well okay so that is the point of this podcast if that resonates at all then this is the podcast for you keep listening all right let's get into it Ben so 18 months ago I think you've landed your first role um as a cyber security consultant and so
• 03:00 - 03:30 why don't we start off with a bit of a timeline of everything that's happened in the past 18 months yeah yeah um so yeah as you said 18 months ago got my first gig um working for cyber CX land a position through the second cohort of their Academy program got involved basically I had a Consulting background so in turn asked to be put in their sort of Consulting arm and and move into GRC
• 03:30 - 04:00 which is governance risk compliance it's a lot of uh I guess auditing testing and interviewing of stakeholders in various businesses uh so the the natural stakeholder engagement you know came pretty well um then moved on through I think it was just past the 12 month Mark at uh CCX ended up getting promoted into the into the consultant role so um I should actually go back this six months
• 04:00 - 04:30 of training in the academy and then uh assisting on projects and everything from there and then yeah after the 12 month Mark got promoted to consultant where I was then leading my own engagements and and managing uh I guess Associates under me and then uh yeah lo and behold one of the the ex- colleagues of mine uh who I really appreciated working with sat me down and said he had a had a job offer you know thought
• 04:30 - 05:00 uh res would resonate with me we we got chatting a little bit further and uh next thing I know I was you recruited into the Queensland government so that's you know the the high level I guess overview of where I am today so bit's gone on it's fair to say you've had yeah definitely eight eight months all be it as well whilst you were I think you were just becoming a dad moving into a new home so it's been a pretty it's been a pretty wild month oh that's it you go past the 15 month uh 18 months sorry and
• 05:00 - 05:30 you know when we've known each other pushing on probably three years now and like you said built a house had a kid all in that time started a new a whole new career like yeah it's it's amazing what's happened in the the space of a few years it is M and you deserve it all I remember we first this was about three years ago right um and I think we had a conversation initially about um you'd come across cyber Revolution you were interested in cyber security we spoke once or twice and you decided to to jump
• 05:30 - 06:00 into it which is obviously a risk right like it's it is changing careers you're in a pretty comfortable um recruiting role but it was just as you said comfortable and you were a bit over it de yeah it was you yeah when I got offed the role with um cyber CX at the time like literally I just had my daughter and I think two two weeks into maternity leave I got a call from yeah Cy CX saying congratulations and it's an associate role which is you know half the salary that I was on in my last job
• 06:00 - 06:30 and yep oh lucky I've just got my wife here who you know supports me in every decision I do and you know we took the risk and you know now it's paying over so it's all right yeah yeah so now you're obvious that you're earning more that you were in the current role now what you were in your it uh in your um recruiting role probably just topping out around that same sort of Mark but obviously when you're in recruiting and and sales in general it's it's a It's a Grind whereas you know the role I'm in now now it's not that it's not hard work
• 06:30 - 07:00 but it's it's a different kind of grind like it's it's it's guaranteed salary but the grind is you're constantly learning you're constantly keeping up in sales yeah you're constantly hoping you get your next sale and yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah different bit of pressure that can be pretty taxing right is now you're just more Project based work you've just got to do the work and learn the skill and do the work as opposed to as you said yeah 100% And it's more the I guess the ceiling in uh cyber is it's almost
• 07:00 - 07:30 endless right y yeah definitely definitely we'll touch on some of that stuff later um I want to just go back a little bit to some of the things that you said around that timeline because it's really interesting so change careers into a cyber rle first six months you're in more of like an associate program for every un listening really if you get your first job and when you get your first job in cyber security what happens is you'll basically learn and Shadow and be supported by the business and trained by the business for your first six months okay so what we do at Cyber Revolution we'll get you the right industry search
• 07:30 - 08:00 practical skills and build your your basic knowledge up through our comp tier certifications once you've done that in the six to eight months you're with us we then help you land a role in the industry it's then up to the organization the company that's hired you to continuously support you because you are in UB probably usually usually we find it's anywhere between sort of two to six months depending on the scale and the size of the business before that individual is then up and running so for you that organiz quite large six months
• 08:00 - 08:30 so after that six months you were then a like a junior GC consultant I'm assuming yes associate GC consultant okay perfect so that was kind of your first I guess promotion after six months then after 12 months you then promoted again to a a fully fledged GC consultant you're actually leading projects or actually leading your own group of clients so so leading more of your simpler sort of engagements and and helping you know guide the the newer associ
• 08:30 - 09:00 and then you know having a bigger part in your more complex um engagements as well did you feel like were you comfortable that you by that 12-month period you had the skill set the support and everything to be able to do that yeah definitely look the the team we had around my had around me was was amazing like the direct managers were super encouraging uh I came into it with quite an aggressive strategy because I you know come from a few previous roles where I've held that sort of senior role
• 09:00 - 09:30 so I had the the leading and the I guess the customer relations behind me it was more so just as you said the company CCX uh you know building up my skills and knowledge and then offering that ability for me to you know push forward from there yep amazing and then youve then after 18 months you've then been offered another role um tell us a little bit about that yeah definitely so I work for Queensland government cyber security unit so essentially we work as a an advisory on cyber security matters to
• 09:30 - 10:00 all the the government departmental agencies um and then I moved into what they call the essential a and insurance team so we head up all the there's a there's a check that they do every year called the is-8 return um and one component is the essential eight um so my manager who I previously worked with yeah as I said offered me it definitely definitely resonated with
• 10:00 - 10:30 me having the ability to make the change in the state and the community is something that was quite big for me um and the the project we're working on now is a we're developing a reporting com uh reporting mechanism that's going to essentially give you know live updates to the whole of Queensland government it's it's something that's that's not done been done before so it's pretty exciting yeah I imagine that' be pretty fulfilling right as you said that's
• 10:30 - 11:00 something that was quite important to you that feeling of giving back to your community yeah oh massively like it's to note it's it's quite an interesting flip script so going from being a consultant who would essentially just do the insurance checks and everything for these government agencies to to helping shape and um I guess uh design how the checks are going to be done in the future as along with ensuring and knowing that we're going to be helping
• 11:00 - 11:30 the state keep its cyber security maturity higher is yeah pretty fulfilling right there that's exciting as well being part of something that's never been done before like innovating creating new processes is amazing mate that's that's awesome to hear yeah it's it's pretty big it's it's yeah it is it's really big it's really big it's something that's going to then maybe hopefully set a precedent for other states to do and you know you can build on build on from there yeah definitely there there's there's other states and uh and either go there's a few people
• 11:30 - 12:00 with their eyes on us keeping us trying to you know scope out what we're doing so no pressure or anything no exactly that's cool that's really cool and so you've obviously experienced a lot of there's been a lot of action in the first 18 months right learning the new skills getting into a new role being promoted a couple times then getting into a um moving into a different organ organization um that you just mentioned before uh is that I guess an area of cyber security when you wanted to get into this at the start 18 months ago that excited you that career progression
• 12:00 - 12:30 or career growth yeah 100% as as I said coming from the the career paths that I've had in the past I knew that I wanted to move up quickly it it's an everchanging industry as it is so like I also said that the ceiling is endless so to just constantly be pushing and and knowing that this is something that I won't if I do stagnate it's going to go nowhere like you've got to constantly be learning constantly be pushing and that excites me as well because you've got to
• 12:30 - 13:00 have drive to to keep up right yes y exactly lifelong Learners is the you know the the type of people that will thrive in this in the Cyber definitely great so I guess to summarize that 18 months has it lived up to your expectations fortunately I came into it with a a pretty open mind U not really knowing what to expect it it's pretty awesome obviously working with a lot of knowledgeable people um it's very exciting being the the the new guy in
• 13:00 - 13:30 the team or the the learner because you can just be that sponge that just absorbs it all and yeah working with people who have been in the industry five 10 15 20 years is is pretty fascinating because you know back then it was what they call I guess information security it wasn't really cyber security as per se it wasn't the the cool Buzz sort of uh industry it is to is that everyone wants to be in now so I I often say like you know if you were two years ago or maybe even a
• 13:30 - 14:00 little bit longer three years ago we at a party or a function or a networking you know networking environment or an event and you and someone asked you what did you do for work and you said I'm in cyber security three years ago they probably would have been like put their head down and like okay yep I'm in that's that's interesting and like not asked another question today in the past three years if you told somebody that you're in cyber security their eyes just you know light up and go oh that's so awesome like what about this or what
• 14:00 - 14:30 about the opposite attack or what about the you know what I mean and you just dive into this huge conversation and they you get asked a bunch of questions have you found that oh 100% yeah yeah nice it's cool it's really really cool really interesting um all right and so what have been some of the biggest takeaways so far in your career the opportunity to just keep learning which has been fantastic uh like at the moment my a current uh position they've sent me to TA to go get um I guess test Assurance or Assurance certifications
• 14:30 - 15:00 being able to experience certain things like I think tomorrow I'm actually going on a a tour of one of the government uh data centers so I get to see you know how all that works and then just the sheer broadness of the industry is exciting as well because you know if you think you know something then you look over to the left and there's a whole different subject that intertwines with it and yeah the endless ability to learn is probably by far the thing that excites me the most and then even like there's an endless
• 15:00 - 15:30 ability to learn and do certifications and learn things that have already been done before right like that hundreds and hundreds of certifications I you know I might have mentioned this on the podcast before but maybe a month or so ago I had lunch with a a cyber security you know uh expert been in the industry for 30 years still doing certifications and upskilling but the industry is always expanding and hackers are learning new things about how to you know penetrate networks they're learning new ways to you know to do the things that they want
• 15:30 - 16:00 to do we obviously then have to learn and innovate to stop them and as you're doing right now you're doing something that hasn't been done before so you can't learn that from previous experience or you can't you know do a certification for example so you've actually got to think outside the box and innovate as well so there's also yes stuff that you can do and certifications that you can do but there's also this this industry is now always expanding and getting bigger and bigger which is you know it's exciting and so I guess
• 16:00 - 16:30 moving on to some of those larger lessons that you've learned looking back over the past 18 months what have been some of the major lessons lessons uh as I said if you stop learning you'll you'll stagnate and it's not it's an industry that'll leave you behind pretty quickly that seems to be a real common theme in it this is something I always bang on about and obviously we're an education company so I'm going to preach this because it's one of education's one of my core values that's that's the biggest thing for you by the s always be learning always upsc yourself or you're
• 16:30 - 17:00 going to be left behind so for anyone listening and you are thinking about getting into cyber security but you are not motivated or you are not you know enticed by what Ben's saying right now and learning new skills potentially it's not the industry for you is what we're saying yeah it's there's a lot of behind the scenes work and a lot of outside of the office and that sort of stuff like last year I got into a very big sort of study Groove where it was you know another 10 12 hours a week on top of
• 17:00 - 17:30 work yep um of of studying and everything like that and then it hit the Christmas break and I took a breath and it was nice then come January I to start again kind of felt like I feel like I'm wasting my time what should I study now and then yeah you open up the platform and yep you know find the next subject that's it awesome and so other than studying and learning constantly what has been the best thing about the last eight months and what has been the toughest thing or not the toughest the worst thing best thing is working with a
• 17:30 - 18:00 lot of intelligent people and having the broad spectrum of people and and having the ability to see things from so many different points of view uh because you could easily say you know this is my interpretation of this control on yada yada and someone will pop up and go no but this is what I'm actually thinking and then it's yeah it's it's massive just the the points of view and and perspective is awesome especially you know cyber CX and and Queensland
• 18:00 - 18:30 government massive organizations you're going to have a lot of people to to talk to and and learn from I keep going back to learning but and then I guess the worst was just probably the initial massive hurdle that everyone's going to come across is is the persistence in getting into the industry um like I got knocked back by cyber CX twice before I got into the academy program I think um a few other partners that uh you partner with we tried to apply with at the time
• 18:30 - 19:00 just you know I guess found another another resume that looked better or so on and so forth and and I talked to so many people at Network events networking events and it's It's a Grind to get in but once you get in that's one of your biggest hurdles you're going to hit because once you're in it's endless yeah yeah exactly and that's what we you know it's hard for people initially to look at once they've done some training or they've out of University to get into this industry this is why we specialize in the one space to be able to help people get into this industry and um
• 19:00 - 19:30 through our industry Partners right if you're doing it on your own it's often what we find really I guess is a bit of a roadblock for people that they finished their certificates and they have no idea or they finish their degree and they have absolutely no idea who they what companies they should be looking at to apply for um or even what jobs they need to be applying for so you really really whether it's us or somebody else you need to be able to have that support network of making sure everything single box is ticked your resume your LinkedIn profile interview
• 19:30 - 20:00 training but then also you need to be able to tailor your application around what you previously done you know what like we did with you and your recruitment background that dovetailed in really well into the Cyber Consulting world as well you need to do that stuff and and you need to know your applications need to be really really targeted otherwise you kind of just you know throwing M against the wall and hope it sticks yeah definitely it's it's and like I said it's just persistence that's all it is it's a numbers game you're going to get in because we're
• 20:00 - 20:30 going we're in such a shortage that obviously there there's less entry level compared to like that mid-range where they're crying out for people but you know the people such as myself who 18 18 months two years start moving in those mid levels and there's entry level positions again right so there's a a bit of a um some organizations obviously the ones we partner with we help most 80 to 90% of our students are entry level positions right and our companies that we partner with know that and I think they're the ones that are um Forward
• 20:30 - 21:00 Thinking and the ones that are okay there's going to be a huge there is a huge need for cyber professionals we need to invest into them now and then you've got some other companies that are just like no we want people with two years experience minimum and these certificates these skills yes they are floating around but that's exactly what sometimes they're doing right they are there's only a small cohort or group of those people and they can just be head hunted for whoever can pay the most you can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for them that's great but that's a finite resource and you know there's
• 21:00 - 21:30 obviously a huge need you're obviously in the space what about you like it's you can see that there's there's just a huge need for more cyber professionals oh of course it's it's so many so many roles out there it's it's crazy and to like I said the roles aren't always going to be your entry level it's it's sort of that mid- tier that is highly sought after and it's the people that go out and do the certifications and and do the networking and do all the extra curriculars that tick all those extra
• 21:30 - 22:00 boxes are the ones that getting there and then getting the getting the good salaries and all that sort of stuff because like you said there is only a finite amount of people in that sort of sector and you know if you push hard you can get there pretty quickly yeah no no definitely well you're the proof of it right you've had two two promotions and and you know changing roles I guess could argue sort of three promotions in eight8 months which is just unheard of in any other industry if you thought about the or anything you're not going to get you know that type of growth well
• 22:00 - 22:30 what what I guess where do you see yourself in five years on that note where do you want to be in five years time five years uh I want to I literally just did like a performance review at work uh last week and same sort of question came up um I either want to I I know I definitely want to be running a team because I'm a I'm a leader at heart so uh you know managing a team and and steering probably staying in government because there is quite a bit of opportunity to
• 22:30 - 23:00 I'm like I said I'm quite big on that opportunity to give back and and know it's making differences some of the roles I did do in in cyber CX was here go do this check go do this assurance check because we have to do it every year um and it's a bit lackluster whereas you can do projects that you know are benefiting the state and the and the community and yeah you get a bit of sense of Pride behind that um so I think I want to be staying in government managing and then potentially have like
• 23:00 - 23:30 a bit of that Contracting Consulting on the site CU yeah as I said there's endless opportunity especially in yeah in cyber it's nuts what are your I asked you this obviously the first time you're on the podcast it could have changed it may not have that's fine if it hasn't what are your three top tips for somebody that right now is listening to this they're not sure whether they think you know whether they think it's possible as a for a career change into cyber or for whatever reason they're on the fence what are your three top tips for um somebody that might be in that
• 23:30 - 24:00 position wanting to get into this industry yeah yeah three top tips first one is just start if you M over it and you want to just keep thinking should I should I six months later you finally do it imagine how far you could have been in the six months prior to that just start it yeah there's that much opportunity that if you start it and it's something that you like you'll be fine uh number two is coming back to just just constantly learning learn
• 24:00 - 24:30 learn learn get go if you get a job find the people that are the knowledgeable people get under their wing and go from there do your extra certifications everything like that they're not everything but they do help it helps prove knowledge and that sort of stuff and then yeah exactly it sh proves commitment as well uh and then third one I hopped on about it so much last time was was networking like I said the the role I got offered yes it was through my hard work and and
• 24:30 - 25:00 what I'd done previously but it was an ex- colleague of mine who recognized the quality of my work and and went from there but let's be honest I I did the same thing I did to you there Adam and I kept uh messaging him just saying hey don't forget about me make sure you you know I'm here ra ra and it's track record it keeps working so exactly yeah if it ain't broken don't yeah exactly if it a broken don't fix it right and I think um you know that's a huge huge attri of yours like that persistence and
• 25:00 - 25:30 just you know that drive to get into the industry is going to put you in good stead now for for the rest of your career so I think you should continue that method of uh that's been working for you for sure um oh I definitely will H and so the thing that sticks out for me I mean all of them are unbelievable points and everyone should listen into those but um oh and on the networking side not sure too many people know but we um mentioned this in the podcast previously all of our students we partnered with ASAP Australian information security Association one of
• 25:30 - 26:00 the largest groups and networking events um communities in in Australia like I'd say the largest okay so all of our students get free ACA memberships access to all of the events that we that they run so yeah if you're a student you obviously know that because all of our students have signed up if you're not just even just go check out ASA we're going to cybercon in CRA later this month in a couple of weeks those networking events are absolutely crucial the thing that obviously stood out for
• 26:00 - 26:30 me is as you said at the start just start and and I'd say nine out of ten students when I ask this question they say the same thing just do it right um imagine for you if you could have easily two or three years ago two and a half years ago whatever it was been like yeah Adam I'm just going to wait because I've got a kid on the way and I'm building a house I'm just going to wait six to 12 months till that happens once that's done I'll come back and I'll start imagine if you did that right you you'd be you'd probably be it' be you'd be in
• 26:30 - 27:00 a worse position and then you may not ever start because then you're nervous you've got now a lot more responsibility and then you know sliding doors moment you just stay in the role that you won't fulfill in 100% and another point to that was when I got off at the associate position at Cyber CX like I said it was two weeks into having my daughter and whole our whole world was upside down at the time and I I said to him oh like since I've got this position is it something that I can defer for 6 months and they said potentially but we can't
• 27:00 - 27:30 guarantee it and another another student of yours Tim who I used to work with he got offered that same role at that same time and opted to defer it until March and he then had to move down to Sydney or cber wherever he went to to get his first role because that position wasn't guaranteed so if i' just if I hadn't just gone I'll take it let's do it you know I might have been another six month down the track as well exactly and shout
• 27:30 - 28:00 out to Tim I'm gonna have to get him back on the podcast too Tim has been on the podcast previously he went worked for a huge organization NCC group down in Cambra um yep and is now absolutely crushing into his career so that's should that's a good point I might reach out to Tim good Rich absolute Legend of a guy and he's doing great things in in cyers space now X ADF you ex- veteran turned into cybercity professional and he's he's absolutely crushing it so I'll um I'll reach out to him mate thank you so much we've gone a little bit over time we had a bit to cover there um
• 28:00 - 28:30 really really appreciate your time I know you're busy and I know that everyone listening has you know gained a a lot of um you know a lot of information and a lot of value from it so appreciate it Happy Days thanks Adam no worries guys if you did listen to this podcast and you want to learn a little bit more about our job placement program all you have to do is head to cyber revolution.com leave your details there and someone from the team will be in touch thanks for listening [Music]