An important element of workforce development is for companies and the security industry as a whole to grow young and emerging talent. For this month’s Workforce Strategies column, in the second installment of a two-part series, the Security Industry Association (SIA) spoke with some of the honorees of the first-ever 25 on the RISE Awards. This program is presented by SIA’s RISE community for emerging security leaders, with support from Brivo and the Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST), and honors 25 security leaders of today and tomorrow for their impactful contributions to advancing the security industry.

Following are some tips from the 25 on the RISE honorees on what companies in the security industry can do to better grow, develop and empower their emerging leaders:

Focus on Culture

One way companies can help their young talent thrive is to foster strong workplace cultures. Amit Moran, chief technology officer at Indoor Robotics, emphasizes the importance of instilling “a culture of collaboration and innovation…where ideas and knowledge are shared freely.” Moran recommends that companies create workplaces that encourage the “exchange of ideas, innovation and collective problem solving.” 

Angela Osborne, associate vice president of risk and emergency management solutions at Guidepost Solutions, notes that the next generation of security leaders are navigating a new and more complex work environment “that has been heavily impacted by the [COVID-19] pandemic, changing perspectives on work and life and a greater emphasis on flexibility and trust from employers.” 

According to Osborne, emerging leaders want to work for organizations that provide meaningful career advancement and engagement opportunities “while maintaining the flexibility gained during the pandemic,” and businesses should avoid boxing people into their roles and build cultures of trust.

Steven McCory, director of operations and project management at Grid Squared Systems, emphasizes that companies need to employ a combination of “strategic planning, mentorship, education and a supportive work environment” and that they must offer young talent “challenging projects” that help them grow their initiative and decision-making skills.

Be Strategic About Career Development Offerings

As Vicky Dinger, director of human resources at Preferred Technologies, says, “fostering the next generation of security leaders is essential” for a company’s continued growth, as well as for that of the entire industry. Dinger urges businesses to be meticulous about offering appropriate resources, avenues and leadership development opportunities — including training and certification programs, career path mapping, industry events and more — to individuals with strong potential to help them succeed.

Brianna Ramos, director of integrated marketing and communications at Compass, says that companies can “support young leaders by helping them discover their passion within the industry.” Security is a broad field that can be intimidating to those just entering the industry, so offering strong channels for learning and development and opportunities for young talent to explore their interests within security can help them hone their skills, careers and leadership potential.

Tips for Young Professionals on Career Growth & Empowerment

Here are some tips and advice from the honorees, geared toward other young professionals who are hoping to grow their security industry careers:

• Be unafraid of challenges: “Embrace the hard, bad and ugly” along with the good, says Dinger, and work to master things that you find challenging at first to get those battles out of the way. Additionally, Dinger urges young talent to “have the tough conversations” in order to more effectively accomplish tasks and “clear obstacles out of your path.”
• Be committed to learning: “Stay curious,” says Lauren King, development rotational professional, human resources at dormakaba Americas, who encourages young professionals to enthusiastically seek knowledge from colleagues, projects and experiences at work and “ask the clarifying questions, dive deeper into the why and bring forth fresh perspectives that ultimately help those around you to learn, grow and succeed.” Dinger recommends committing to being the “learner who may not have all the answers initially but is committed to achieving excellence.” McCory stresses that having a “dedication to ongoing learning will set you apart and pave the way for a successful and fulfilling career in security.”
• Be actively involved in the industry: “Early in your career, the focus is on being an excellent contributor to the organization,” says Osborne, and “as you transition from a contributor role to a leadership role, the focus shifts to being about how you can influence others and leverage the broader organizational team.” This shift can be challenging for young talent who previously had earned most of their success by focusing on their own work. “To advance further,” she says, “a big part of your work has to be networking across the organization and the security field to find expertise in niche areas…take an interest in people, listen to what they know and focus on connecting.”

McCory recommends getting actively involved in industry events, conferences and networking opportunities “to expand your professional connections and gain insights from seasoned experts,” and Ramos suggests joining professional organizations, connecting on social media and “[contributing] to the community” to “accelerate your growth in the security industry.” Moran encourages young talent to join communities like SIA RISE, along with participating in other meetups and special interest groups, to gain “invaluable insights, support and connections [to] propel your career and broaden your perspective.”

• Be bold: “’Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM,’ but also nobody ever got promoted for buying IBM,” said Moran. “If your aim is to survive, ‘buy IBM,’ [but] if your aim is to succeed, take risks…be bold.” KeShia Thomas, brand and solutions manager at Allegion, urges emerging leaders to “let your difference be your secret sauce, not a limitation,” whether you’re the youngest, the newest to the industry or the only woman, minority or LGBTQ+ person in the room. “Show up as yourself, unapologetically.” 

Want to get your young talent involved and engaged? Encourage them to join the SIA RISE community, which offers networking and professional development designed just for emerging leaders and those new to the industry. To learn more, click here.