From care to cyber-security

Seeing an opportunity in a whole new industry

During the pandemic, Liz found herself contemplating her next career move. Although cyber-security wasn’t a the most logical next step given her experience, Liz was able to see the crossover between both industries, and recognised the value she could bring to cyber-security from her existing operations role.

 

Unknown to her, she would ultimately become a force to be reckoned with in BAE Systems’ cyber-security department, embedding operational efficiencies and optimising data gathering for cyber postures.

 

“It was at this juncture that I came across BAE Systems. I’ll be honest, cyber security was not at the top of my list – but when I saw the job description, I was convinced it was the role for me. Prior to joining the team, I don’t think I grasped how vast and prevalent cyber security is – and how vital it is.”

 

Bringing a unique set of skills to cyber-security

Looking back to Liz’s favourite school subjects as a child and the skills she acquired throughout her career, cyber-security ended up being the perfect fit for Liz. She credits her affinity for problem solving, hard work, her willingness to help, interpersonal skills, organisation, and her persistent “can do” attitude for her ability to transition between industries.

 

“My favourite subject in schools was maths – I’ve always liked problem solving, and that’s what I’ve leaned on throughout my working life.”

 

“Changing industries has without a doubt been the steepest learning curve of my career; that said, I’ve been able to bring over my experience in operations and apply it to my current role. I now have the reputation within our team for getting things done. I’m persistent and I’m great at organising “chaos”.

 

“I’m a really hard worker and I think that’s why I have been successful in my career. I’m always willing to help and I get along with people.”

 

“When you step into a new industry it can be overwhelming to think about everything you don’t know. It’s during these moments that I have to take stock and remind myself of how much I have learned compared to last year.”

 

Degrees aren’t the be all and end all

As it turns out, it’s definitely not all about the hard skills or traditional qualifications either. University wasn’t the right route for Liz, and it certainly hasn’t damaged her career prospects. As Liz has found, there are always other opportunities to build your technical knowledge elsewhere.

 

“Even though I didn’t go along the typical university route, I have taken some courses in project management such as Agile and PRINCE2 to improve my skills. Currently, I am considering some training that will enhance my technical knowledge of networks.”

 

“I’m very fortunate to be working with people who also don’t have degrees but are really successful.”

 

Looking beyond the usual candidate

With the value of varied experience and diverse skills plain to see, Liz suggests hiring managers be open minded when recruiting, and potential candidates look beyond job titles.

 

“I would like to share some advice with hiring managers. Please think outside the norm when hiring people for certain roles. There are people from other industries who have strong transferable skills that will be a great fit for some roles that you are hiring for.” 

 

“For any aspiring women who are looking for a career change, please look past job titles and focus on job descriptions that share details on some (or all) of the skills that you already possess. You’ll be surprised how many skills you can bring to cyber-security even if you have never worked in this industry before. Focus on progress and not perfection – taking the bold decision to change your career will be your first step to progression. Just start and don’t look back. Get out of your comfort zone every now and again, challenge yourself.”

 

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Liz Steyn is Cyber Security Project Manager at BAE Systems

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com