Brakeing Down Security Podcast Blog: UK Gov Apprenticeship infosec programs with Liam Graves

One of our Slackers (people who hang with us on our Slack Channel) mentioned that he was in a program created by the UK Government to train high school and/or people headed to university in skills without the traditional 4 year education track.

I was very intrigued by this, since we don't appear to have anything like this, outside of interning at a company, which means you're not considered a full-time employee, have no benefits, and there's no oversight about what you are learning. (Your mileage may vary)

So we asked Liam Graves (@tunnytraffic) to come on and discuss his experience, and how he was enjoying it. We discuss various methods of alternative educations here and in the UK, as well as why someone should possibly consider an apprenticeship. We also discuss how that would work in the US (or could it?)

Also, I very sorry Ireland ... :) I did not mean to lump you in the rest of the Commonwealth...

Direct Link: http://traffic.libsyn.com/brakeingsecurity/2017-012-UK_Gov_apprenticeships_with_Liam_Graves.mp3

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Show Notes:

UK apprenticeship schemes:

long established though a recent focus shift back from academic achievement to hands-on skills and understanding/applying more than just remembering.

End Point Assessment - project based final assessment.

A mix of targeted learning and on-the-job experience working towards a brief: https://www.thetechpartnership.com/globalassets/pdfs/apprenticeship-standards/cyber-intrusion-analysis/occupational-brief-cyber-intrusion-analyst.pdf

Boring - but some background reading. Apprentices at this level will use levels 1-3 of Bloom’s taxonomy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom's_taxonomy) 1) Remembering (What type questions). 2) Understanding (Which of these/Why type questions) 3) Applying (It this then what scenarios and questions)

Other schemes include (new and existing):

Cyber Intrusion Analysts
Cyber Security Technologists
Data Analysts
Digital Marketers
Infrastructure Technicians
IT Technical Salesperson
Network Engineers
Software Developers
Software Development Technicians
Software Testers
Unified Communications Trouble-shooters (no idea what these ones are)
Unified Communications Technicians

https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship (links for Scotland & Wales on the same page).

https://www.thetechpartnership.com/about/ - employers drive the training for the type of employees they need.

Routes to employment - fast paced industry so 1) older pathways may not be relevant. 2) there are so many ways in to the industry pick the right one for you - there’s a difference between people who appreciate structured learning, are autodidactic, learn extra and over what’s expected, dev, risk, red/blue team, academic, hands-on, etc.

Internships (rarer, though some degrees offer a year in industry and will assist in making positions available)

Graduate schemes - very common, will give a grad opportunities to move around the business. Direct hires from uni.

IBM has a trade school - hiring 2,000 US Veterans in the next 5 years

https://www.axios.com/ibm-2000-jobs-exclusive-2317626492.html

Technical schools

http://www.browardtechnicalcolleges.com/

http://www.bates.ctc.edu/ITSpecialist

DoL apprenticeship programs

https://oa.doleta.gov/bat.cfm

Difference between ‘for-profit’ and ‘trade schools’

Internships = some companies are paying fat bank:

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/04/summer-interns-at-tech-start-ups-are-making-six-figure-salaries