Cyber Security Work Experience Clarifies a Career Pathway in Tech

Work experience provides students with an insight into the work environment and roles within their chosen industry segment. For the ICT Gateway to industry Schools Program, work experience and School-Based Traineeships are essentials goals to achieve.  CFC Response (AU) (formally Insane Technologies) are based at Bundall on the Gold Coast. They recognise the need to inspire students into a career in Cyber Security as the need will only increase and Australia needs more skilled workers to protect online and digital assets.

Managing Director David Rudduck started Insane Technologies in order to create an IT career for himself after finding it difficult to secure a role in the industry. He is driven to find ways to mentor the next wave of Gold Coast tech workers. “It's an absolute honour and a privilege to be able to provide an opportunity like this for the future technology profession. Every conference I go to they are always talking about how we don't have enough people to fill the job vacancies in the IT & Cyber Security space, and work experience and internship programs like this provide exposure to the next generation of our profession.”

Insane Technologies was recently acquired by UK company CFC, a specialist insurance provider and pioneer in Cyber Security.

Saint Stephen’s College student Kieryn Leamy has excelled at Digital Technologies study in school and has an interest in Cyber Security and networks. For Kieryn, a chance to learn more about Cyber Security in a dynamic business with skilled workers is an opportunity that he enthusiastically embraced. “Doing my work experience at Insane Technologies opened up new paths for my career, and taught me a lot about what working in the IT industry really is like. Before attending my work experience, I had 2 career fields in mind: Cyber Security and Networking. After observing and learning about the workflow in the departments my views changed. I realized that digital forensics and development are also careers I would enjoy. This was just one of the many benefits of my work experience, alongside opportunities for employment once my studies are completed and more work experience in the future.”

ACS Project Manager for the ICT GISP Matthew Jorgensen is appreciative of the commitment shown by companies like CFC Response (AU) towards corporate social responsibility through the ICT GISP. “For the tech industry to develop a long-term pathway for young people to fill the roles in Cyber Security and other tech disciplines, they need to invest the time and expertise into mentoring students, not just for their own companies, but for the good of the broader tech industry.”

Saint Stephen’s College Careers Advisor David Bear works work behind the scenes to match work experience hosts with the right students. Through the membership of the ICT GISP, David was able to place Kieryn at CFC Response (AU) and hopes to build upon this relationship in the long term. “Developing a future-ready workforce is an essential part of every educational institution. Seeing Kieryn develop a dedicated passion for the cyber security industry is pleasing to see. We are grateful for our partnership with ACS and Insane Technologies which are both promoting technical and nontechnical careers in the technology industry. Students like Kieryn are on a study pathway into the industry and his work experience just confirmed for him that he wants to stay on that pathway into a great career in tech.”

David Rudduck is convinced that workplace learning is essential for students to understand more about roles in the tech industry. “I'd love to see more Gold Coast based businesses get involved in similar initiatives. Yes, it has a time impact, but if we all do our part, helping to provide exposure to the opportunities our profession has to the next generation, we'll have an amazing pipeline of people coming through who can take our businesses further!  Being able to give students a chance to see what we do and to help them cement their future desires is inspiring, especially when you've got students like Kieryn who just knock your socks off with how talented they are! I'm really excited about the next generation entering our field.”

Greg Wilkinson, Director of eLearning at SSC drives the learning with and about technology in the College. “It is great to see Insane Technologies offer such valuable experiences for our students. Kieryn was looking towards a career in IT, this work experience opportunity has allowed him to cement his passion for networking and all things technology into further studies and hopefully one day a career in cyber security. A passionate young and vibrant office that has truly inspired Kieryn. We are grateful for the opportunities that our partnership with ACS as a member of the ICT Gateway to Industry Schools program.”

The ACS ICT Gateway to Industry Schools Program is very thankful to our industry partner Insane Technologies (CFC Response AU) for providing this work experience opportunity we look forward to continuing our partnership. Kieryn encapsulated the opportunity well when he said, “Overall, completing my work experience at Insane Technologies provided the foundations for a job in IT, and opened up many new career paths and opportunities.”

Find out more about the Gateway to Industry Schools Program at https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/employers/gateway-schools. This Gateway to Industry Schools program is proudly supported by the Queensland Government. If your company can contribute to the ICT GISP by hosting work experience and traineeships or excursions, please contact Matthew Jorgensen (matthew.jorgensen@acs.org.au)