How do you balance cybersecurity training with work demands?

Prioritizing topics directly applicable to your job is key. On-the-job training within your organization plays a crucial role, offering hands-on experience that enhances your skills and fosters professional growth while effectively balancing your work commitments. Furthermore, make use of online resources like courses and webinars for flexible learning during your available time. Engaging with cybersecurity communities and forums is essential for knowledge sharing and staying updated with industry trends.

Assessing what skills you need and how to best obtain them is the key to success. Certifications or training are ok but I have found it much more effective to learn on the job, to build the skills you need in real life to take your career to the next step. This also allows you to put that experience on your resume. Pro tip: Always volunteer to do work that moves you towards your goal even if its not in your job description. Put your hand up and go for it!

Balancing cybersecurity training with work demands necessitates a strategic and integrated approach. First, emphasize the critical importance of cybersecurity to all staff, linking it to business continuity and trust. Incorporate microlearning sessions into daily routines, allowing employees to grasp concepts without overwhelming their schedules. Leverage real-life scenarios and simulations, making training relevant and engaging. Schedule mandatory training during less busy periods, and provide on-demand resources for continuous learning. By blending training into work seamlessly and emphasizing its relevance, you not only foster a security-aware culture but also ensure that daily operations remain efficient and undisrupted.

'If you think you know-it-all about cybersecurity, this discipline was probably ill-explained to you.' - global CISO Stephane Nappo I discussed the topic of cybersecurity education, re-education, and upskilling with tens of cybersecurity professionals. The main conclusion is that in cybersecurity, an expert must engage and commit to lifelong learning. Stay ahead of an adversary. Always. Ludmila M-B Top Cyber News MAGAZINE

Identifying gaps are one of the major up-skills one can do, analysing needs and areas of interest could determine learning key skills through certifications or open-source.

I am also finding it difficult to balance my work demand and my cybersecurity training. I’m currently working towards writing my CySA+ and I am always having loads of work and deadlines to meet but here’s the two strategies I applied that is still working for me: 1) Always remind yourself why you need this training or certification and what you want to achieve through your cybersecurity training because knowing your objectives will help you prioritize your efforts. 2) Create a timetable for studies. It might not be an everyday thing maybe 4-5 times a week because even while working and reading cyber blogs you’re learning and integrating your training into your skills. So you can set time for work, training, and personal life.

Extremely important to do role based training to ensure teams are aware of the risks their roles are subject to and have means to prepare for them in addition to general purpose training.

In as much as assessing needs is important, anybody can fall down, so I tend to provide all staff training sessions that are current, small and frequent like small quizzes and games that keep cybersecurity items top of mind as a sort of wrapping of the whole organization. Then provide targeted training campaigns that are role based and again try to keep them short and to the point.

Training is part of the job. It's not a nice to have. It's not optional. Is part of your job, so must plan accordingly. I know that some people, who always pretend to be very busy when they're not so much, will tell you that training is something you do in your spare time. They're just wrong. Not much to add. Include training in your schedule, in your planning and just wait to see the results. Look, remember that story about the two lumberjacks? The one who sharpened his axe and the one who didn't? Well, there you have it.

Choosing a project aligned to the training would also be a good way. This is more likely to work with consultants than people who work in the industry. For people in the industry, engaged in transformation projects would be helpful to applying the skills and knowledge without compromising on the personal and professional commitments.

Peer group skill sharing can also help. In my experience, applying the learning through on the job experience would be more helpful to imprint the concepts in the brain.

Online learning platforms with iterative sessions. Small quizzes and gamefication are a huge part of keeping staff interested, involved and competitive to learn. They are flexible, trackable and allow you to target areas where focus may be required due to changes in laws or regulations or a general lack of exposure to concepts.

The format of cybersecurity training is indeed crucial. I've seen that a blended approach often works best. For instance, online courses provide flexibility, which is essential for busy professionals. However, offline sessions can offer in-depth discussions and hands-on exercises, which are invaluable for understanding complex topics like encryption, firewall, or incident response. Moreover, interactive methods like pen-testing or simulating phishing attacks can significantly improve security awareness and response capabilities.

Choosing a learning format that best suits your learning preference is crucial. Even if learning styles are not mutually exclusive, people have inclination to one or a couple out of them. * For example, a kind of learner like I am prefers visual aids than anything. I like to loosen and break hard and jumbled ideas using diagrams. * For a Visual learner like I am, creating and reading mindmaps, flowcharts, process diagrams, signs and infographics are best ways of learning. * Some Auditory learners on the other hand learn best through listening and verbal activities. If you are a kind of person, try podcasts, seminars, audiobooks, speeches and related content that you can learn from by listening,... etc.

In the realm of cybersecurity training, embracing digital formats is ideal given their flexibility and accessibility. However, as Benjamin Franklin wisely noted, "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn." Practical experience is paramount. The subject matter often dictates the format; certain capabilities demand hands-on engagement. It's also crucial to consider the workload of team members. For those heavily tasked, dedicated training formats are essential. Without this structure, distractions from daily responsibilities can dilute the training's effectiveness.

When we accurately assess learning needs, applying newfound skills becomes intuitive. As we embark on projects or initiatives, these skills naturally find their place, enhancing our output. To showcase our expertise to colleagues or clients, recognized certifications are invaluable. Not only do they serve as a testament to our proficiency, but they also offer a standardized measure of our capabilities in the certification's specific domain.

The best knowledge is the one you have invested in practice. When you do that assume as if you invested the knowledge and the return will be an experience. Don't shy to create a favorable condition, in your job environment, that let's you exercise the things you learn and know. This will also let you balance the learning with job responsibilities.

integrate your learning directly into your work projects and tasks. By doing so, you not only enhance your knowledge and skills but also make an immediate impact on your organization's security posture. This practical application of learning not only reinforces your understanding but also provides a tangible benefit to your employer. For instance, as you learn about new threat vectors or security protocols, you can implement them in your daily tasks, helping to fortify your organization's defenses. This synergy between training and work not only optimizes your time but also highlights the real-world relevance of your cybersecurity efforts, fostering a stronger commitment to both learning and safeguarding your organization's digital assets.

To balance cybersecurity training with work demands, I apply my newfound knowledge directly to projects, enhancing work quality and security. I integrate new skills, like implementing security protocols, to fortify our defenses. Sharing insights with colleagues and clients educates and bolsters security awareness. I measure progress through project outcomes, seeking improved security, efficiency, and risk reduction. This approach not only reinforces my understanding but also demonstrates my value as a proactive team member dedicated to enhancing cybersecurity efforts.

In my view, cybersecurity training isn't just about personal development or work; it can extend to community projects. The key is applying your learning effectively. Enhance job performance, share knowledge, and measure impact to solidify your comprehension. This hands-on application of skills not only aids retention but also allows you to contribute to a safer digital environment in your community. It showcases your value and potential, both in your workplace and beyond.

Balancing cybersecurity training and work demands involves seeking feedback from peers, mentors, managers, and instructors. Their insights on my learning achievements and challenges are invaluable. I welcome their suggestions and recommendations for improvement, aligning my goals with their expectations for work performance and quality. This feedback loop ensures that my training remains relevant and effective, fostering a harmonious integration of skills into my professional responsibilities. It's a continuous process of refinement that ensures my development aligns seamlessly with organizational standards and objectives.

As vast and changing the whole security domain is, there is an essential need to continuously learning and upgrading skillsets. Being up to date with latest tactics, threats, domains and also being able to tackle challenges while implementing those domains is a must. To maintain relevance and stability one should be very proactive in identifying and filling gaps.

You need to find what works for you, and as far possible try to mix it up: formal training, self study, short courses, books, labs, etc. Surround yourself with ambitious individuals. Remember, we are the average of the top 5 people we spend the most time with.

To balance cybersecurity training with work demands, I prioritize continuous learning. Cybersecurity is a rapidly changing field, demanding ongoing improvement. I stay updated through industry publications, forums, and webinars. Actively seeking new learning opportunities, whether formal courses or informal networks, keeps me engaged. My curiosity and passion for cybersecurity thrive on solving complex problems and contributing to industry discussions. This unwavering commitment ensures my relevance and competence, equipping me to address the dynamic challenges of the field effectively.

Working in both cloud and cybersecurity requires an inquisitive mind. Reading, and hands-on application work best for some, others prefer video formats or steaming. Find what works for you and make time everyday to continue to learn.

Always subscribe to newsletters and podcasts related to cybersecurity for ongoing learning. Staying up to date with the latest trends and threats in cybersecurity will make your learning easier.

In my experience, adding the training as a part of the expected work is crucial to successful balance. There are a large number of studies that show the value of allotting dedicated time to cybersecurity training and having someone there to show how that training is relevant to their work. Ultimately, it’s this integration of learning and functional work that not only adds value to the training but to the organization as a whole.

An example we saw in our organization is that training enables employees to perform their task faster, as it reduces the trial and error to achieve desired results. Additionally, the employees were able to reduce the number of steps in the process which lead toward significant time saving.

When we accurately assess learning needs, applying newfound skills becomes intuitive. As we embark on projects or initiatives, these skills naturally find their place, enhancing our output. If we need to showcase our expertise to colleagues or clients, recognized certifications are invaluable. Not only do they serve as a testament to our proficiency, but they also offer a standardized measure of our capabilities in the certification's specific domain.

I encourage organisations not to see security as a functional department, but to embed it throughout the company. Security specialists should be reaching out to share their knowledge and experience. It strengthen ties, improves quality, increases productivity and the security specialist can focus on solving innovative challenges rather than just the baseline. This creates a learning organisation.

Learning is something very important, but most important thing is to apply this learning in real life. Somebody I know always says that people don't want to learn a new language, people want to speak a new language. That's why I consider attending Conferences, Meetups and other forms of events - on top of more traditional forms of learning - is even more interesting. You will learn about the topic and will learn how other have applied that knowledge in their reality. You also will learn other skills, like public speaking and creating effective presentations. Or at least how NOT to do them. Which is also learning