Many if not all businesses share some degree of similarity with one another even with their primary process being separate. Be it a car manufacturing plant compared to a bakery or an accountancy firm. The underlying processes that enable them to function from either viewpoint of legality, risk and legislation are more closed aligned then you would initially think.

Understanding and working to create and improve these underlying processes is where I would come in. My name is Rhys Parsons, I work for Siker Cyber Security as a GRC (Governance, Risk and Compliance Analyst), in the past I’ve worked as an Information Controller and as a Fraud Analyst for both SERCO and Nationwide respectively. As I’d described earlier, I help with managing and effectively reducing IT and security risks and ensure that Siker engages with compliance requirements through the creation and adoption of new processes and effective communication with key stakeholders within the business.

I’m 26 years old having graduated from Bournemouth University with a degree in Cyber Security Management studying a wide variety of security topics ranging from Steganography, Cyber Economics, Risk Assurance and Cybercrime. During my time at university I’d also sought out and joined numerous societies as means to socialise and to also get myself out of the house having joined the UK’s competitive E-Sports League as well as seeking new hobbies with the LARP society and Tabletop Gaming society.

At the end of the UK’s national lockdown, eventually I was finally able to go up on stage and receive my official degree in Cyber Security Management. There was always the concern that even after getting my degree that perhaps there would be a struggle to start myself down a career path of Risk Management however with a modicum of effort (and a small amount of luck) I gained a job with Siker starting as a part time consultant. Since then I’ve been offered multiple training courses to further expand my range of knowledge for example an Auditor Course for ISO27001 and ISO9001.

Whilst my time with Siker so far has been fairly short, the time spent has been worthwhile and couldn’t greatly appreciated.