Security Management Qualifications?

[Rosie]

Absolutely true, IT / Info Sec are for my perspective going to be the biggest challenge. A single course is going to cover nothing but the basics and hopefully allow me to understand the essence of what the IT / Info Sec guys are actually talking about in their (to my ears) incoherent ramblings. I think that this is really the key area where being able to turn a hand at it is insufficient if engaged on, or putting yourself forward for such a task. I strongly suspect (and aim) that my personal competence will extend no further than being able to recognise elementary problems and hopefully being able to recognise the skills base needed by the person I bring in to fix it.


I have actually thought a lot over the last few days (having started the Info Sec book for the CPP) as to why I find it hard to stay awake reading it and have come up with the following excuses:

1. I am not motivated enough

2. The subject does not give in anyway a “warm & fuzzy". I put this down to the intangibility of it, an AR-15, a B6 Merc, Locks, safes, Kevlar & blast protection are visible, reassuring and I can both touch them and imagine the application in my minds eye.

3. Trying to see a firewall in my minds eye produces the same effect as watching the Matrix at triple speed. (I know - theoretically the same etc) but for me it is just not the same. Basically a real challenge for my reliance on and comfort with tangible products and the warmth of cold hard metal. In my pea brain a firewall prevents flame spreading for a period of time.

4. I posses absolute no prior experience or relevant skill that makes the task of understanding any easier and their lies the key, I recall my fathers perplexed look at the video recorder 25 odd years ago when setting the time was akin to putting Armstrong on the moon. The whole system just did not make sense and the brain found it hard to accept the processes required to do it - I have become that man..



On a related note I watched my 12 yr old son recreate the video moment of my youth yesterday when he connected his PS3 to the wireless network at home (how did he know what a PUK code was?), set-up Bluetooth partnerships for a headset and proceeded to play an online game with some Japanese kids (I think judging from the accents in his headset - they were talking!) and then displaying a fine understanding of fire & manoeuvre, equipment control, defensive positioning, threat identification and shooting skills whilst wiping out the bad guys. I give you the security professional of tomorrow.


I just hope that I can get to retirement before the likes of my own offspring force me into the abyss - Darwin was definitely onto something with the evolution stuff....

[EdB]

Great posts Rosie and all intelligent and informative.

I am amazed daily at the quality and depth of the information and advice given on this forum it's like having instant access to a virtual oracle of Close Protection.

Regards

Ed

[Carl Dowd]

[quote=Roadhog;20020]Which one, security qualifications or takeway food.... or maybe both?



I suspect in my case Roadhog either, or mate.

As a former corporate member of the 'Institute for Leadership and Management' I have a grasp on the UK management scene but I find another perspective such as, the US of A quite interesting.

I also consider that many of the clients in HE even during my days, were or continue to be from the USA?

[David Meido]

I have only just come across this part of the website (I got stuck in the CPO area and never expanded from there!), but as a number of posters have mentioned, the level of input (and insight) on the forum is truly impressive.

I have only very limited knowledge concerning to how the other systems work, but I completed the MSc in Security and Risk Management from Leicester in 2006, and have been a visiting lecturer and dissertation supervisor on that programme since then.

The programme that you choose will obviously be influenced by what you are looking to achieve, but if you see your role as generally involving corporate management skills, and certainly if you see the qualification that you are going after as part of a long-term strategy for advancement, then I think that the MSc (from anywhere, though Leicester is still recognised as one of the top places to do it) would be a foundation that you can really build a career on.

One of the advantages of the MSc is that right from the start, the structure of the programme (one essay per module every three months, followed by 20,000 word dissertation) allows you to concentrate on the areas that are of interest to you and that will be of use to you in the future. So you might concentrate on essays that have to do with terrorism awareness rather than preventing grafitti in urban areas, or you might be more interested in CCTV and crime displacement technologies rather than classical risk management statistical analysis. A lot of people who already have a background in the industry use those modules to develop their own lectures / specific skills sets, and the likelihood is that you wil be able to live off them for many years to come.

There is no question that for the corporate security manager of the 2020's (and the frightening thing is that is only twelve years away, when many people on this forum will be entering their professional peak!!), the MSc will be the equivalent of decent computer skills now, in that it is likely to be considered the minimum requirement for a certain level of corporate management, and those without it might well find that they will find the lack of it working against them.

As well as that, if you are looking to create a specific niche for yourself, then the MSc gives you real credibility across the world. I have built upon my own background in Japan to have developed a consultancy in Tokyo based almost entirely on the MSc, and it has allowed me to create a 'brand' and differentiate myself from all potential competiotors who do not have that.

Obviously there are many areas where the other qualifications will be of equal or even greater value, but if you are looking to work in the corporate or consultancy world, then I personally would give my vote to the MSc.

Best regards, and good luck with the journey....

David Meido

[covert munkey]

Thanks for the kind words regarding the forum folks.

The forum is only as goos as the members.

Reagrds,

CM

[hippy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by covert munkey Thanks for the kind words regarding the forum folks. The forum is only as goos as the members. Reagrds, CM

Oh... Look CM's gone all modest on us!

[DC60]

I am looking into doing a management course as well and found this company, Arc Training they have a wide selection of courses although they are quite expensive compaired to other providers .
Arc Training | Security Management Training Courses

[Kez 9]

I'm about to undertake a managemnet course in Sept. Thanks to all who have taken the time to pass on valuable info on this subjuct. It's made my choice in picking the right course a lot easier. Thanks again.

[PaulSmith]

So which course did you deceide on then Kez?

[Kez 9]

Had previous advice and have also heard the same views echoed by a few different people reference the anubis course. All seemed to rate it as a very good course, as stated in earllier posts.