, Track 2
You will have heard (I hope) about the UK Cyber Security Council and its remit to professionalise the cyber security industry, improving access to careers, standardising definitions and roles and helping align cyber security careers with those in established fields such as law and medicine. But do you care? What does it mean for those whose career path will be directly affected by the changes, and what does it mean for the organisations they work for, whether in support of Government, or in purely commercial settings?
Royal Charters, granted by the Sovereign on the advice of the Privy Council, have a history dating back to the 13th century. The UK Cyber Security Council has been granted Royal Chartered status, and now has the power to set the standards of the industry and award professional titles for those working in the cyber profession.
There are many other professions that already have established chartership schemes including accountants, journalists, teachers and engineers. The professional body that awards chartered status must create a list of required criteria for those seeking a professional title; this usually pertains to a certain level of skill or experience being achieved within their role.
The Council has implemented a code of conduct which sets out what constitutes best practice within the industry. I will outline what this means from an ethical, legal and educational standpoint.
To maintain a professional Title as an individual, there is also a requirement to maintain continued professional development (CPD). I can explain what this means for an individual, and why proving your experience and your growth will become more and more important as the profession matures.
I will also explain some of the pitfalls and challenges that have been encountered along the way and why the journey to professionalism has been a difficult one, encouraging the audience to give me their views and let me know any frustrations, so that I can provide feedback directly to the Council and allow industry voices, at all stages of their career, to be represented.
My role at The Cyber Scheme involves raising awareness of our core NCSC-Assured training and assessment services, and Professional Registration of cyber security professionals, through relationship building, networking, public speaking, and communications. As early careers lead, I am also committed to supporting people into roles in offensive security by working on recruitment pathways, discussing the technical skills gap and helping our assessment candidates find employment. I am a regular public speaker on topics including neurodiversity in cyber, how to navigate a career in cyber and on topics such as managing CPD and maximising your professional journey.