The UK's Security Awareness Special Interest Group (SASIG) is launching a new, free cybersecurity jobs fair and conference on May 13 -- with companies looking for security talent able to host a free stall, and those looking for jobs in the industry -- from entry level to experienced professionals -- getting the opportunity to connect for free with more than 50 recruiting organisations: all you need to do is turn up.
Developed by SASIG, a network of security professionals, with the Positive Transformation Group, the SASIG Skills Festival combines a jobs fair with a talks and panel discussions. Attendees will include representatives from Citi, the Department for Work and Pensions, Eset, and Schroders, along with the NCSC.
Organisers say they are acutely aware of the lack of a clear career path into cybersecurity and the need for the industry to open the door to school leavers, those transitioning from military and defence, and other areas of often overlooked talent. As SASIG founder Martin Smith MBE told The Stack's founder Ed Targett in a forthcoming interview: "I see that the skills shortage is that single critical strategic weakness of the cybersecurity industry. We face tactical crises every day; the latest SUNBURST, or the latest attack by the Chinese, those are tactical; it happens, we deal with it. But of the strategic issues that we face, I think that the skill shortage is the one that is going to really kill us if we don't get behind it."
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SASIG Skills Festival stream topics include:
- Where can we find and attract talent
- Recruiting from home
- Cornucopia – how we close the skills gap
- Diversity and inclusivity in security
Stream topics for job-hunters include.
- Jargon buster – What cyber roles are available? What do they mean?
- Jobhunting from home
- How to hack your career plan
- Transitioning from military and defence
Keynote speakers include representatives from ACE, a Home Office capability within the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT). Among the panels (see the agenda here) is a session on how career expectations have changed post-Covid. In this session, Jim Griffiths, CISO, British Sugar, Shakti Shekhawat, Director of Digital Trust & Security Practice, Capgemini, and James Murphy, CEO, TechVets, will join Owanate Bestman, Director, Bestman Solutions to discuss what to expect when applying for a job in a post-Covid world, and what to expect if you get it.
Looking for a cybersecurity job? Looking for cybersecurity talent?
Get yourself registered for the free SASIG Skills Festival, May 13.
