Why we need diversity in cyber security - for everyone’s sake!
There is a real and present skills shortage in the cyber security industry. Currently, there are some amazing young people undertaking computer science and information security degrees, but when they enter the workforce they still lack the business insight that comes with experience. They also tend, very generally, towards a certain demographic (approximately only one in five, for example, are women), and most are very young.
Bringing these young people into the sector is great and should be encouraged, but it is also a problem in several ways: we already have a skills shortage and the failure to widen the net is giving us a reduced pool of potential candidates. We also end up with people whose experience of life and the world is very similar.
In this session, we will explore how threats are better mitigated when you have people from a range of ages and backgrounds looking out for them. We will also consider how we can encourage more people into the industry, especially those who currently might feel it is not for them. In particular, we will look at some of the most valuable transferable skills that we should be looking out for.
Session takeaways
- Understanding of the recruitment challenge in cyber security
- Insight into how we are missing a huge opportunity through lack of diversity
- Ideas on how to encourage people with transferable skills into the sector
Bio
Roz Woodward is CEO and co-founder of Securious, the South West’s leading cyber security company. She is an experienced professional who is passionate about cyber security and is on a mission to raise awareness and help organisations mitigate their cyber security risks. She is especially keen on helping translate technical issues in a non-technical way.
Roz is a founding light in the South West Cyber Security Cluster and liaises regularly with the police and other authorities on the latest cyber security issues affecting businesses.
Roz is a qualified accountant and has considerable experience working within organisations at senior management and board level, and as an ISO 27001 Lead Implementer and GDPR practitioner, understands the value of sensitive data and the importance of securing systems and developing strong policies and procedures.
Roz is a keen runner, having completed several marathons and numerous half marathons, and enjoys muddy trail runs with their dogs.