Encouraging the next generation of cybersecurity stars to join the industry
At Trend Micro, we’ve always had a passion for education and a desire to grow the cybersecurity industry with talented, dedicated professionals.
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At Trend Micro, we’ve always had a passion for education and a desire to grow the cybersecurity industry with talented, dedicated professionals. The two are closely linked: if we can introduce cyber skills into schools at an earlier age then we’ll encourage more young people into the sector and hopefully start to chip away at skills shortfalls. It’s a passion that comes from our CEO Eva and trickles down to every part of Trend Micro. Yet due to the pandemic, many of the long-running initiatives we’ve been running for students of all ages have been impacted by social distancing restrictions.
That’s why I’m excited that Trend Micro is running a new virtual event for university students in November, during NIST NICE Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week. We hope it will help to spark an interest in cyber for many students that could lead to even bigger and better things.
Here to stay
People sometimes ask me why we haven’t finally got a handle on cybercrime, given the huge global resources being dedicated to the problem and the wide range of advanced tools at our disposal today. Well, as long as there are people to steal from, there will be those in society prepared to find ways to do so. Their job is made easier by an underground economy said to be worth more than the GDP of some countries, where budding cyber-criminals can buy and sell stolen data, hacking tools and much more.
For those without the tech knowledge there are online tutorials in the dark arts, and even “as-a-service” offerings which do all the technical stuff for you. All of which means that cybercrime, just like crime in general, is going nowhere. The technical arms race between vendors like Trend Micro, security professionals and law enforcement on one side, and cyber-criminals on the other, has no clear end in sight. We build new detection technology, they develop a way to circumvent it. Artificial intelligence is just the latest development in this decades-long history of cat-and-mouse.
A job for life
That may sound like a particularly gloomy tone for someone in the cybersecurity industry to strike. But what this does mean is that a job in cybersecurity can be a job for life. Yes, you will have to continually adapt and update your skills as the bad guys do—but those skills will always be in demand.
In fact, I marked my 24th anniversary in the industry this year. I had no idea that the newspaper job ad I answered looking for a sales engineer in the Bay Area would lead to this. But my experience is not uncommon. Over my time at Trend Micro, the business has evolved from a simple vendor of AV to one of the largest pure-play security vendors in the industry. I’m sure the next two decades will hold even more extraordinary advances, at Trend Micro and in the wider cybersecurity industry. What a time to get involved in shaping its future.
Getting involved
If you want to be a part of this but aren’t sure whether you have the skills or experience, don’t worry. What we value most at Trend Micro isn’t necessarily letters after your name. In fact, although I graduated with a fairly traditional engineering degree, our VP of Security Research, Rik Ferguson left university with a French degree and is now a leading global authority on cyber. There are numerous possible roles you could fill in the industry that aren’t necessarily at the cybersecurity coal face—think sales and marketing, for example.
To find out more about these opportunities, I’d encourage you to take a look at our virtual summit. Held over an afternoon in November it will include keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions and virtual networking opportunities. There’ll be plenty of Trend Micro evangelists, including myself, on hand to answer your questions and share how they got started in the industry.
Please see below for details. It may end up changing your life.
What: 2020 TMIE Virtual Cybersecurity Summit for University Students
When: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020 (English speakers); 14.00-18.30 PST. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2020 (Spanish speakers) same time.
Where: Register online here.