Five ISC West Sessions on Essential Workforce Development Topics
ISC West 2023 is coming up March 28-31 in Las Vegas, and the Security Industry Association (SIA) and ISC West recently revealed full conference details for the SIA Education@ISC West program, including keynote presentations from top luminaries and 65+ sessions on the most current business trends, technologies and industry developments.
Among the robust lineup of conference sessions are several essential offerings on key workforce development issues and topics. Here are five sessions you won’t want to miss; make sure to add them to your ISC West calendar!
All Times PDT
Why the Security Industry Needs Diversity and Inclusion (and How to Get Started)
Tuesday, March 28, 10:00-11:00 a.m.
The business case for diversity and inclusion is stronger than ever. For diverse and inclusive companies, the likelihood of outperforming industry peers on profitability has increased over time, while the penalties are getting steeper for those lacking diversity.
“Diversity, inclusion and belonging are mission critical, not just nice to have. It is time that companies in the security industry embrace inclusion to promote innovation and, ultimately, keep a competitive advantage over companies who are trying to break into this space.”
Arin Lopez, director, diversity and inclusion, HID Global
In this session, we will discuss exactly what is diversity and inclusion in the workplace, why diversity and inclusion (D&I) are critical to outperforming our peers and fundamental first steps to implementing your own D&I business strategies. The session will also examine a case study and discuss how HID is embedding D&I into everything they do around the globe.
Speaker:
- Arin Lopez, director of diversity and inclusion, HID Global
Challenging the Status Quo: The Next Generation of Security Professionals and the Future of the Security Industry
Wednesday, March 29, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
As a security industry professional, you should have a say in defining the direction, ambition and vision of the industry. If you’ve ever felt you could make a bigger impact on the future of the security industry, this interactive session is for you. Workforce planning is a major focus and point of concern across the industry, and it’s no wonder it made SIA’s 2022 Megatrends list. Two unanswered questions are: how do we attract new talent? How do we shape a future for all security professionals?
“Security professionals from all organizations and stages of their careers will be able to engage in a dynamic discussion about the current state of the industry before being guided through a Future-Back Vision Setting workshop. Participants will collaboratively discuss opportunities for deeper investments in talent and talent-related topics, industry engagement and development and will walk away with tactical steps they can take both inside their organizations and as individuals to help build the future of the industry as they’d like to see it.”
Erin Mann, senior enablement manager, Latch
In this interactive session, we will workshop what we imagine for the security industry of the future and identify ways we all can be change agents to make that transformation possible. We will also collect input to bring back to SIA’s talent-focused committees. There are actions we can take as an industry, within our own companies, and as individuals to inspire and transform the security industry to become more attractive and inclusive to new and existing talent. You’ll come out of this session with a sense of direction, tools and resources, as well as an action plan to help you in leading change.
Speakers:
- Kelly DeLeo, senior manager, solutions acceleration, Axis Communications
- Erin Mann, senior enablement manager, Latch
- Jackie Paryz, director of sales and marketing for technology solutions, North America, Securitas USA
Unlocking the Power of Diverse and Inclusive Mentoring
Wednesday, March 29, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Mentoring is an extraordinary tool to help people succeed and is a secret sauce for many of the most successful security professionals. The Security Industry Association recognized the vast potential that mentoring provides and how important it is to have a well-defined pathway for learning and development.
To help create a diverse and inclusive security world for everyone, SIA launched Talent Inclusion Mentorship Education (TIME), an innovative mentoring program centered around educating early- and mid-career security industry professionals through a structured program that helps guide participants through a wide variety of topics and activity scenarios. In this panel discussion, attendees will hear directly from experienced professionals and recent participants in the SIA TIME program and learn how they successfully leveraged their work and this program to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and empowerment for all.
Speakers:
- Jim Black, director security architect, Microsoft
- Bobby Louissaint, global head of technical partnership engagement, global security services and technology, Meta
- Alex Orr, global strategic account manager, Johnson Controls
- Rodger Schmidt, technical trainer, ASSA ABLOY EMS Group
Workforce Development Executive Briefing: Attracting Talent and Retaining Top Talent
Wednesday, March 29, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Workforce development is regularly identified as one of the top challenges for companies and businesses in the security industry. As industry members embrace more advanced technologies, the education, skill and training demands for their employees increase. This is true all along the supply chain – from manufacturers to distributors to integrators – and applies to varying degrees across many roles.
In this Career Zone session, join members of the Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST) Board of Directors on the ISC West show floor as they examine current workforce development challenges and present strategies to help companies find and train committed and qualified employees who want to use their abilities in careers that are both productive and purposeful.
“I am thrilled to discuss workforce planning strategies to recruit and retain professionals in the security industry at ISC West with my fellow FAST board members. The conversation may branch out in various ways, but we would be remiss not to spend time diving into professional development and the different avenues, both internally and externally, we see it transpire. According to a UMass survey, organizations that offer professional development opportunities have employees who are 15% more engaged in their work and see 34% higher retention rates. Looking forward to it!”
Kerri Sutherland, human resource business partner, Axis Communications
Speakers:
- John Nemerofsky, chief operating officer, SAGE Integration
- Kerri Sutherland, human resource business partner, Axis Communications
- Yaron Zussman, general manager, Magos Systems
Level Up: Industry Credentials That Can Boost Your Career
Thursday, March 30, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Research shows that when employees develop new skills and expand their breadth of knowledge in a specialized area, they become more confident in their ability to perform their job function. Earning industry credentials can boost your career by demonstrating your expertise, enhancing your credibility, increasing your earning potential, opening up new career opportunities and providing ongoing professional development.
Join this roundtable discussion to learn about relevant certifications offered by leading security industry organizations, including SIA, NICET and ASIS. Talk one-on-one about different certification program offerings and exam prep courses, ask questions, discuss requirements and find out how to take the next step towards boosting your career!
Speakers:
- Phil Bratton, ASIS International
- Katie Greatti, associate director of learning and development, SIA
- Chip Hollis, NICET
Learn more about SIA Education@ISC West, view the full session lineup and register for the conference on the ISC West website.
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