#Cybersecurity Bootcamp | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

izicodes · 1 year

Note

do you have any advice for someone who kinda "failed" to break into tech and is still in the medium-level for learning. i feel like i've spent so much time (years) on this but haven't made much progress. how do i really get into it and stay in it? love your blog btw. i'm tempted to start one of my own but my projects are a mess and ugly 😭

I'm sorry to hear that you feel like you haven't made much progress in breaking into tech. It's important to remember that everyone's journey is different, and it's never too late to start or improve. But then again, you have spent years learning and you want to into the tech industry.

The obvious advice would be don't give up. My dad has been studying to get into Cybersecurity since the early 90s and he just got into the industry this year. He never gave up - family to look after and he could study like the other students in his university course because the large majority of them were single 18-22-year-olds who their only responsibility is themselves. Don't give up and don't compare yourself to other people.

You've got to look at what has been holding you back. Health issues, work issues, money? Can't study full-time or even part-time if you need to pay the bills.

Even if you can, are you consistent with your studying? We all know consistency is key. Studying for one week but don't study for 2-3 weeks won't work. I know the type of learner I am - if I don't code or study every day, even just for 30 minutes, then my tendency to procrastinate will increase a lot and it'll all go downhill from there.

Know your strength - build on the skills you are good at. Believe it or not, I know a developer I met in a discord server who only uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build websites and webpage themes for clients as a freelancer and he's doing really well. It's because he realised that he's really good at those three basic languages and he worked really hard to excel at them. Expand on what you know best.

On the flip side, you could look at job postings around where you live or nationally in your country and see what skills/languages/technologies they ask for the most for hiring developers. Example: I live in the UK and a couple of months ago when I was actively looking for a new Frontend Dev job, I saw that Vue.js, React.js, and PHP (besides the usual HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) were asked for the most. If I wanted those jobs, I would learn those technologies, create a few projects to showcase my knowledge in them, and start applying. That could be one way to break into the industry.

Another way would be certificated. Bootcamps, online courses, or in-person courses like university or community colleges. Yes, they say that you don't always need a university degree to get into tech but some kind of education you've gone through that is tech-related e.g. Google courses or the Frontend Dev course that Meta is providing (paid). My colleague completed a computer science degree but he then did a bootcamp and he completed and that's how he landed the job where I work. So even graduates are getting further education. If you can't afford the massive fees, Udemy is a great place to get courses. And don't be shy with the Havard CS50 course videos they have on YouTube - free and you get a certificate free as well!

The advice I give might not work if you haven't identified why after all these years you haven't gotten your foot into the tech industry. This is no way intended to be rude, but if another person who had the same amount of time you studied, and they have gotten a tech job in that time, what makes you different? Goes back to what I said about the things that are holding you back. Some of the reasons are inevitable like health but you need to keep making that effort!

If you need help, you need to ask. Find a mentor or support group. Having someone to guide and encourage you can be incredibly helpful. Look for a mentor or join a support group where you can connect with others who are also learning and growing in tech. You can search for them online, some people offer advice for CV/Resume help or real "getting into tech" advice on places like Fiverr or Upwork or just google for some consultants online. They would cost obviously but if you're really struggling, this might help. After completing bootcamps, they tend to help you get your first job etc so they might be worth considering!

The last bit of advice is do you have a portfolio? No no, like a proper one where you feel confident enough to give to family members, friends, and potential employers? No? Either learn to build one (free of charge) or hire someone to build it for you (costs money) A portfolio is a great way to showcase your skills and projects to potential employers. Even if your projects feel messy or ugly, focus on highlighting what you learned and what you accomplished.

Obviously, I gave hints of advice more towards Frontend Dev because that's what I know more of but you can alter the advice to whatever niche in programming you're into. Remember, breaking into any field takes time and effort. Stay motivated and focused on your goals, and don't be afraid to reach out for help or support when you need it. Good luck!

** I'm not the best at giving advice but I hope this helps 💗

#my asks #programming #coding #studying #progblr #codeblr #studyblr #comp sci #tech industry #coding advice #motivation #study motivation #study help #programmer #computer science #tech advice #career #career advice

45 notes · View notes

xpc-web-dev · 11 months

Note

Hi! I have just recently deciding to switch careers and leave the vet industry , go into tech. Have spent past 2 years in tech school to become a vet assistant but after being in my field, I always wondered how it would be like to have a career in tech, ive always thought for so long that being in tech comes w Math and science and i suck at both 🤣🤣🤣. so I’m deciding to enroll myself in a completely online program to become an IT tech yet i have always admired hacking and coding so without getting sooo much into it, which leads me to my question:

- what do I have to do to be in the code career?

- do I have to go to boot camp out of my state or should look into going online completely?

- is coding beginner friendly especially as someone who doesn’t have ABSOLUTE NO IDEA about coding?

Please let me know and I love that I have found a community of women jn the tech industry, it’s pretty inspiring which why I want to go into the tech career.

Hi Stone, first of all welcome to our small and growing community.

I'm glad you're giving yourself this chance to try technology and see if it's for you or go back to vet or even go to art(yes I stalked you UEUHEHUEHUE) and I also thank you for finding my opinion relevant.

As you said that you wanted a career and that you are interested in coding and hacking, here you need to choose which one to prioritize. Because whether back-end, front-end, mobile, fullstack or cybersecurity there will be a lot to study, practice, make mistakes and practice again.

Here I give an addendum that if you don't know what these areas mean in technology, I recommend doing a search, reading and watching videos on youtube about it to see what might please you.

So based on what you've told me, again I think the best first step is to know what you want to prioritize and what you want to make money from.

Because trust me, you won't be able to study everything together at the same time. And if you manage to find an hour, there will be a burnout, so take it easy my friend. (from personal experience)

Even more so if you want a job, it's best to focus on 1 and then move on to others. Then find out what might be best for you / what you most identify with.

I also like hacking, I have books and I have already found courses. But this is something I want to study as a hobby and a safety measure (after all, there's no shortage of motherfuckers doing shit with others with that knowledge). So I put it in the background. Because my priority is money and hacking has work, but not in my country.

Now about entering the code career. Despite being a junior/student, I've seen a lot and I've also learned in these 2 years in the technology community in my country and watching you from the outside, so I can have a more mature view to help you with that.

So let's go:

1) - To know what you need to do to enter your career in code, you need to know how the technology market is in your country.

Because with all these layoffs, we have a lot of professionals with experience and academically well qualified and depending on the country, we currently have more demand for professionals than job offers. (Here in Brazil this is happening, because the layoffs in North America reflected here).

And here I don't want to discourage you, I just want to give you a realistic parameter for you to enter the area without illusions and not get frustrated like me and a bunch of people on the internet. (I wish someone had guided me like that). Because what we have most on social media is people making it seem like programming is easy and getting a job is even easier, or that you're going to earn A LOT since you're just a junior and THAT'S NOT THE REALITY..

BUT all the effort pays off in the end.

Within that, here I think it's cool that you try to observe what vacancies in your country ask for juniors/interns.

From Skills like knowing python to asking college or accepting bootcamp. See what's most in demand out there and within that see if you like what's in demand.

I tell you this, because here in Brazil, for example, we currently have more vacancies for internships (and here you need to be enrolled in a college to do an internship) than for juniors without college and only with bootcamps. So if we want a job around here, the first thing is to go to college and not be completely self-taught. So again, research and study your country's technology market.

In my conception TODAY getting a job in programming without college will be 10x more difficult than in 2020 for example, things have changed. The market now is not lacking developers, quite the contrary, now it has hight demands from developers but not for JOBS.

What the market wants most are senior people (and I've seen seniors I know saying that after layoffs even for them it's more willing to get a job, again supply and demand), but there are still opportunities for us beginners, in some countries there are more and in others less.

Speaking in the sense of the United States from what I observed from the US (content producers and twitter) + my experiences here in Brazil.I don't know the current situation of the technology market in Africa, the rest of Latin America , Asia and Europe.

Of course, you can be lucky and succeed without , but I, for one, got tired of believing that I would be lucky and be one of those people who succeed and changed my strategy to get a job.

Or you could also join a job-guaranteed bootcamp. Check how it works and if you have this type in your country.

And here we come to your second question.

2) The answer is it depends.

For example, will this bootcamp in your state guarantee you a job or is it possible to do an internship at a company or will it connect you with companies after the program?Or is he recognized by technology companies in your state?

If so, I would recommend doing it and dedicating yourself to getting in.

Because look, if they guarantee you an job is even better , you'll just have to study and do what they tell you to get your job.

But if you don't guarantee it, but this training has merit/respect in the market, it also pays off.

Here, I wanted to take the opportunity and talk about apprenticeship.

In our community we have our queen @xiacodes @xiabablog (it's the same person), she did an apprenticeship and today she is a junior developer in UK .

She shared her journey on her blog and is also the most engaged and resource sharing person in our community.

Here I would like to say that FOR ME Apprenticeship is one of the smartest strategies today to get into the technology market.

I myself will start on a Monday and it was my solution to get a job in code by the end of the year. (I'll talk about this in another post too)

So I recommend looking for apprenticeship in your country / state and how they work there.

And obviously observe and read the rules of the program to see if there are any catches that put you in absurd debt or contractual fines.

And see if you can handle it if you have the possibility.

Here I give an addendum that if you find an apprenticeship but that you will earn little in the beginning, for you to analyze well before saying no. Because salary we can evolve after we have experience, the important thing for us juniors/students is to get the first experience and the rest later becomes easier. (At least that's what the Mid /seniors I know say)

Now if in your country you don't have this kind of opportunity, I would recommend trying to see if it would be possible to do bootcamp/online courses + college to get an internship.

And you don't even have to start with paid courses, in my opinion if the bootcamp won't guarantee you a job, it's not worth paying for it. We have a lot of free resources on the internt (youtube biggest school) .

But it's up to you.

Free Courses:

-Freecodecamp

-Odin project (And it has both fullstack with ruby and with node.js. )

For me, paying will only pay off when you don't find quality resources for what you want to study. So I would advise you to always think about whether it pays off or not.

Accessible paid courses:

- Codecademy

- Udemy (there are good courses there and there are always promotions)

+++ Here I also wanted to talk about knowing that public colleges (100% free) are not possible in all countries or when they are, they are very elective and difficult to get into for poor people as it is here in Brazil.

But here despite that, studying A LOT to pass the exams and having worked to save money and support yourself until you get scholarships to support yourself (and if you do), you manage to get into the best colleges that are free and that is more viable than being poor and being able to pay for college in the US, for example.

So I know that it might not be very viable depending on where you live and whether or not you are a resident of the country.

So I don't know if college can be an affordable thing for you, but if not that you can find the best strategy to achieve your financial prosperity in technology!

But if you are from the United States for example, this week I discovered this spotify program: https://fellowship.spotify.com/

The one where they only hire people with bootcamps and not colleges and open in the summer there.

And despite the layoffs, I still think there are more entry level openings there than here HUEHUEEHEU.

3) What do you mean by friendly?

If you mean easy, no, she probably won't be friendly to you at all AND THAT'S OKAY.

As you yourself said that you know absolutely nothing, it will be natural for you to have difficulty, to think about giving up and to make a lot of mistakes to get it right.

It's going to be a process of failing and trying again and again.

NOTHING IS EASY. And since you've already taken a veterinary course, I think you already know that things are really difficult. So this is another reminder that it won't be any different here.

BUT it will end well because EVERYTHING IS LEARNED.

And that also goes for math, if you ever have to deal with it (and if you go to cs college you will) you will make a lot of mistakes, but you will succeed, because EVERYTHING IS LEARNED based on trial and error.

And that doesn't mean you're bad or stupid, just that you're learning something completely from scratch. It won't be overnight that you will understand, it may take months or years, but persisting you will succeed. THIS IS NORMAL.

I cried (literally) to do conditional algorithms in 2021, I banged my head in books, said I would never make it and felt like the biggest dumbass in the world and today 2023 are the easiest things for me. I have no problem making them.

And that was only possible because I didn't give up.

Here I wanted to advise you to start your programming studies with low expectations, to help you manage your frustrations and maybe burnouts. It won't be overnight that you will become the best programmer and do many projects at the level of a senior developer or the people who do tutorials on youtube.

They will be small steps that lead you to your goals in studies. Again, constants.

There are people who could get their ek code jobs in 3 to 6 months of study.

BUT FOR ME, currently having a plan to get an opportunity between 2 years and 4 years (if you actually go to college) study is the healthiest way to pursue your studies and goals. If you get it sooner, even better for you, but if not, you'll be fine with yourself because it's within the period you stipulated.

Finally, I ask you not to take anything I say as absolute truth.

Question what you read Take what I said, analyze it and see how it works in your reality.

I also recommend trying to find women in technology from your country on linkedin and see if they can help you with tips and so on. I feel very good knowing so many Brazilian women in tech since I did this, my network there is composed only of them precisely to create a place without judgment but of welcome and inspiration.

Well, I invested about 3 hours answering the best way I can, I hope you read it and that it helps you.

Anything, if you want to talk more, you can call me in the chat, I'll take a while but I'll answer.

I wish you good studies, discernment to see which is the best path for you and that you stay well! Lots of protection in studies and career.

22 notes · View notes

lvcae · 1 month

Text

i was looking at this cool cybersecurity bootcamp from a school near me but it's costs fuCKING. $13000 WHAT

2 notes · View notes

loser-female · 1 year

Note

How do I get into cybersecurity? It looks fascinating but I don’t even know where to begin (for context, I am 28, have a BA in a completely unrelated specialization, and live in the US) 💛

Hi! I wasn't ignoring you, I just had shit days at work. Keep in mind that I work in EU and the labour market is different. I've heard a lot of lay-offs in the last few months but I have no idea if this involved cybersecurity positions or not. Also I'm a SOC Analyst specialising in Threat Intelligence. There are a lot of more positions to look out for, like if you are a lawyer you could go on the cyberlaw, privacy or auditing route.

Languages skills are appreciated a lot of you work in Threat Intelligence (I speak 4, currently learning Mandarin and my country sign language), coding skills are useful too.

Now, the usual path is:

1. Degree in computer science or software engineering (or math or physics, I did two years at physics)

2. You take a specialising course of some sort.

Some universities offers cybersecurity degrees I think (in my country it's a master's for example), and sometimes they might prepare you for CompTIA certs too. If you are lucky sometimes companies hire interns for like 6 months and they too make them study. My company did this... For the last interns. I had to be start my shifts after a month of learning lol. Idk if my manager threw a dice to choose between me and the other guy or if he noticed my ability.

I didn't follow that path, for various reason. I did a bootcamp and I took my certifications. But:

1. I've volunteered in a similar field for years and years (information research, debunking);

2. I speak 4 languages;

3. I did two years of physics before my health declined.

I do not recommend that part, because while I'm stupid good at my job, frankly my previous experience as volunteering did much more than any bootcamp.

Two points I feel I need make:

1. Certs. There are like an hundred or more, and it's a mess to figure it out. Plus it all depends what kind of role you want. Good news: most likely the company that will hire you will provide you access to few courses and the possibility to gain some of them, but IMHO taking a Sec+ or a Net+ is not a bad idea before looking for a job. While EC-Council is what HR looks at... Frankly let your company pay for it. Sec+ is like 350$ while a Ceh is 900$.

2. Downsides of my job - these are not talked enough imho.

-I work insane hours, I have two weekends free every two months because I work in shifts. I get paid more in my country (like I have a base hour rate and I get paid from 25% to 75% more of that rate if I like work on Christmas or a Sunday, nights get paid more obviously)

-I spend a significant amount of time studying and looking at news sites, social media to catch "the last news".

-Male environment. When I go to a conference I'm one of the like 20 women out of 1000, of which like 5 have a technical role like I do. It does make it feel like you are a freak even if no one is mean to you. I work from home, and I have only a female colleague - when I go to the office I'm the only woman out of 20 men. I love my colleagues and my manager, mind you, but if you are not in a good environment it's going to be a mess.

- Every company has a different set of tools, standards, programs etc that they use, and of you want to change job it can be hard to adapt.

-A SOC is a fast-paced environment and can be very stressful by nature, because it's a 24/7 service, and in certain parts of the day you can be inundated with alerts and issues to solve. And sometimes you have empty hours because nothing happens and it's boring.

- it's very important also to have soft skills because (like I did it today) you will be in charge of explaining what's going on to clients in a way that a 5 yo will understand, you will be in charge of projects, need to set enough time to study...

- You will meet people 1000x better than you are - and if you don't have the right mentality it's hard to deal with them, because you (well at least I do lol) will feel like an idiot and no one likes feeling like an idiot.

-Long hiring process. It took me a month from the first interview to be confirmed and two months to actually start - and this could really be a problem.

-Networking and connecting with others while it didn't land me a job definitely improved my skills, my credibility in the environment and who knows what else will happen in the future. Take what you can from others, most will be happy to share and help.

BUT!

Before committing you can try it with popular games such as Tryhackme or Hack The Box. They have learning environments where you can "play" and learn some basics. A real SOC or pen-test is like doing 10 of these challenges together but I had a lot of fun.

I hope this is enough! I tried to explain everything that someone considering a career in cybersecurity. Again, consider that I'm in Europe so this info might not be 100% accurate in the US.

#cybersecurity

8 notes · View notes

rinky1 · 24 days

Text

#Cybersecurity bootcamp online

0 notes

antifragilejpn · 6 months

Text

i passed an assessment for an online cybersecurity bootcamp course. 2024 is going to be different. it has to be.

#personal #i refuse to be in this same place next year

2 notes · View notes

neopetcemetary · 9 months

Text

I finish my cybersecurity bootcamp this week! And start my scholarship program! I have come so far in the last year. I never thought this kind of success and happiness was possible...feeling very #blessed

#gaurdian angels coming in clutch #2023 is indeed the year of the rabbit!

2 notes · View notes

james-clarksons · 10 months

Text

A Step-By-Step Guide To Starting Your Developer’s Journey

Giks Canada

Embarking on Your Developer's Journey: A Step-By-Step Guide

The world of software development is a realm of endless creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. Whether you're just starting out or looking to transition into a tech career, embarking on your developer's journey is an exciting endeavor. From learning the fundamentals to mastering advanced concepts, this step-by-step guide will help you navigate the path to becoming a skilled developer.

Step 1: Define Your Path

Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you interested in frontend or backend development? Mobile apps or web applications? Defining your focus will guide your learning journey.

Step 2: Choose a Programming Language

Select a programming language aligned with your chosen path. For web development, consider languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. For backend development, explore options like Python, Ruby, or Java.

Step 3: Learn the Basics

Start with the basics. Online platforms, coding bootcamps, and tutorials offer beginner-friendly resources to help you grasp programming concepts, syntax, and logic.

Step 4: Build Small Projects

Apply what you've learned by building small projects. These could be simple websites, calculators, or basic apps. Practice is key to solidify your understanding.

Step 5: Explore Frameworks

Frameworks simplify development. For web development, explore frontend frameworks like React or backend frameworks like Django and Ruby on Rails.

Step 6: Version Control with Git

Git is essential for collaboration and version control. Learn the basics of Git and platforms like GitHub to manage your projects effectively.

Step 7: Dive Deeper

As you gain confidence, delve into more advanced topics. Learn about databases, APIs, authentication, and other crucial concepts relevant to your chosen path.

Step 8: Solve Real-world Problems

Challenge yourself with real-world problems. Platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank offer coding challenges that enhance your problem-solving skills.

Step 9: Collaborate and Network

Join coding communities, forums, and meetups. Networking helps you learn from others, get feedback, and stay updated on industry trends.

Step 10: Build a Portfolio

Create a portfolio showcasing your projects. A strong portfolio demonstrates your skills and makes you stand out to potential employers.

Step 11: Seek Internships or Freelance Work

Apply your skills in real-world scenarios through internships or freelance work. Practical experience is invaluable for your growth as a developer.

Step 12: Keep Learning

Technology evolves rapidly. Stay curious and continue learning about new languages, tools, and trends to remain relevant in the field.

Step 13: Specialize

As you gain experience, consider specializing in a niche area like mobile app development, machine learning, or cybersecurity.

Step 14: Contribute to Open Source

Contributing to open-source projects enhances your skills, connects you with the community, and boosts your resume.

Step 15: Stay Adaptable

Adaptability is key in tech. Embrace change, continuously update your skills, and be open to learning new technologies.

In Conclusion

Embarking on your developer's journey requires dedication, perseverance, and a thirst for learning. Remember, every coder started as a beginner. By following this step-by-step guide, you'll lay a strong foundation for your growth as a developer. Stay curious, build, collaborate, and continuously improve – your journey has just begun.

For more information go to my blog website.

#web development #web developing company #web developers #web design #developer

2 notes · View notes

ccsacademy · 1 year

Video

If you want to build your career in the cybersecurity field, consider the online Cybersecurity Bootcamp provided by CCS Learning Academy to get real-world learning activities and hands-on experience.

To know more,visit Our youtube channel:-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wGgMwqpblU

#CCSLA #corporatetraining #professionalcourses #cyberawareness #cybersecurity #bootcamp

0 notes

vague-humanoid · 2 years

Text

Over three million cybersecurity professionals are wanted globally. However, as cyber start-ups keep firing people and raising the bar to enter the field, many are unconvinced of a skills shortage.

The gap is getting bigger

By 2025, there will be 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs open globally – a 350% increase over an eight-year period, Microsoft claims.

According to Dan Weeks, director of employer partnerships at tech bootcamp provider Fullstack Academy, cyber employers are under extreme stress with limited budgets, as they are typically a cost center, not a profit center like a software development organization is.

“Experienced cyber talent often are not given the time to mentor or develop entry-level talent to get ahead of the game. In contrast, software development organizations put a large focus on onboarding and mentoring entry-level talent,” he told Cybernews.

Over the past several years, the skills shortage has become a broader problem not just for large companies but for smaller companies too, Tony Bryan, executive director at a non-profit organization committed to cultivating talent CyberUp, reckons.

“I think we are seeing an uptick in job postings due to smaller companies creating cybersecurity teams as well as growth in capacity for the larger organizations. To be honest, we haven’t even scratched the surface of the total need for talent because thousands of jobs haven’t been created yet. These would include local governments, local school districts, solopreneurs, and the list goes on,” he told Cybernews.

Job creation is outpacing talent creation 3 to 1 right now, and so Bryan proposes reducing the gap in the following ways:

Automation – Tons of cyber-related tasks are repetitive and add to the burnout rate we are currently seeing across the sector. If we can automate these mundane tasks, it will reduce talent needs but allow refocus of talent on higher demand/critical tasks.

Increase the number of computer science/cybersecurity degrees. Although degree requirements are being reduced nationwide, the importance of a college education will never diminish. Many companies (more traditional) will continue the need for degrees. We can increase the number of trained and qualified candidates by engaging with students at an earlier age and pointing them to the opportunities provided in a cybersecurity career and the skill paths to get there (college, bootcamps, apprenticeship).

Reimagine how companies hire – Companies have to escape the traditional hiring process. It is essential to establish a standard set of roles and responsibilities. Choose a preferred model – we suggest the NICE Workforce Framework, but something that builds out entry-level to senior positions. This sets a precedent for hiring managers and talent acquisition teams to use for job descriptions and how they choose who they interview. It also allows them to look at apprenticeships and other non-traditional paths for talent hiring.

How important is salary?

Fraud “employment” outpaces cybersecurity jobs. According to the fraud deterrence firm Arkose Labs, rookie fraudsters start with $20,000 while master criminals “earn” up to $600,000 a month.

Network defenders are nowhere near getting that high of a salary. According to the 2021 (ISC) Cybersecurity Workforce Survey of 4,753 cybersecurity professionals, the average salary before taxes in 2021 was over $90,000. In North America, the average salary is $119,000 before taxes, Latin America – $32,000, Europe – $78,000, and APAC – $61,000.

This poses the question: are we losing talents to the criminal underground?

“I doubt it. Most of the entry-level cyber talent focus is “blue team,” or defense, for an employer. Over 80% of the cyber jobs are a blue team. I think there are a lot more cyber professionals playing defense against a relatively small number of people that are active cybercriminals,” Weeks said.

Bryan doesn’t believe that people are inherently going to the dark side for money.

“I believe the entry-level hiring process is tiring a lot of recent graduates out but what we have seen is people are persistent and find a way into a role,” he said.

Many specialists publicly criticize job postings requiring experience, even for entry-level positions.

Workers feel stressed

Many people in cyber feel like they are in a pressure cooker 24/7. And there's no silver lining here – with insufficient skilled personnel and automation. With the current threat landscape, including the ongoing cyber war, the pressure is likely only to build up further.

Most likely, the stress for cybersecurity workers will get worse month after month without more hiring to build the ‘bench strength’ for cyber employers and more AI to sort through the ongoing cyber threats," Weeks said.

Mid- and senior-level cyber talent rarely has early talent available to delegate work to. According to Bryan, the pace of work, coupled with the job's stress, creates an environment conducive to burnout.

He supports Weeks's idea of a paralegal model – if there were enough junior colleagues to delegate work to, it would also mean opportunities for a company to grow skills.

"I would also recommend that employers stop looking for only people with three to five years of experience and develop two entry-level roles for that mid-career role. Through apprenticeship, the cost is generally less than or equal to what they would be. This helps headcount, burnout, and doesn't increase costs for the organization," he added.

What about apprenticeship programs?

Recently, Fullstack Academy partnered with CyberUp and CompTIA(The Computing Technology Industry Association) to help place cyber apprentices to address the skills shortage problem.

According to Bryan, companies tend to fear the unknown, and apprenticeship has always been equated to the trades and not necessarily technical careers like cybersecurity.

“Companies and talent acquisition teams (we all are) are reluctant to change and new things. The Department of Labor standards can be daunting and perceived as not worth the headache,” he said.

Bryan’s team has recently seen an uptick in apprenticeship adoption. “The consistent cadence from the federal and state governments, as well as the large amount of money invested over the last several years into an apprenticeship, has helped. Also, apprenticeship has been a great way for companies to increase diversity hiring, which has yielded more adoption.”

Historically, he added, 90% of apprentices remain with their employer at least one year after the apprenticeship, and that number increases at the two-year mark.

“I would encourage companies to create possible career pathways in their organization. We have found people don’t often leave for money (there are some, of course) but for an opportunity to gain a different skillset somewhere else. Not all companies will have that capacity or scale for people to grow simply because of budget limitations and organizational structure. That is okay, and they will have to be okay with attrition and rather than limit hiring in totality, just build a program that accounts for that timeframe,” he said.

2 notes · View notes