27%
Only 27% of French cyber security companies set diversity targets in their organisation (Cyberjobs, 2022).
Fostering inclusion in cyber security
“Inclusion undoubtedly holds the key to strengthening the ranks of the cyber sector and having a positive impact on our society.”
David Buhan • Advens CEO
Objective 1: end the shortage of cyber talent
The French National Cyber Security Agency (ANSSI) has reported a 37% increase in cyber attacks between 2021 and 2022. To cope with this, we must strengthen cyber defence capabilities globally (service providers, specialised agencies, companies and administrations). Part of this will involve increasing the number of specialised staff in the field.
But every company is competing for the same candidates with the specific skills necessary to satisfy the global need for protection. We need to train more people!
Objective 2: respond to a global threat
Attackers come from all over the world, from a wide range of social classes, with varied educational backgrounds (or no education at all): their thought processes are sometimes the opposite of those of our typical candidates freshly graduated with a “masters degree in IT”.
Hiring people from diverse backgrounds helps us to adapt to the new face of cyber crime.
“Attackers come from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds. Defenders must learn to think like them. Diversity and inclusion in the Advens SOC are key to turning the balance of power back towards defence.”
Éric Arnoult • Head of Security Excellence Center at Advens
Having a plurality of expertise also enables us to create more robust and agile security systems capable of responding to any attack.
A broad inclusion programme launched by Advens
Advens Endowment Fund for People and Planet
The endowment fund grew from Advens’ sports sponsorship and support to LinkedOut: this brought to light the considerable need for help with return to employment and integration, especially for young people who are “NEET” – Not in Education, Employment or Training.
Launched in 2021, one of the Advens for People and Planet accelerator fund’s objectives is to promote the inclusion of NEETs in the cyber sector, an industry in dire need of these resources.
As part of this fund, Advens is committed to engaging in local initiatives and social intrapreneurship projects to get its employees involved in cyber recruitment and training.
A closer look at the Microsoft by Simplon course
Partnered with Microsoft since the launch of the Microsoft by Simplon Cyber School on 31 May 2022, Advens is also the sponsor of the first Cloud & Hybrid Security Solutions Operator course.
The aim is to co-create and finance training for talent unfamiliar with the world of cyber to make the field more accessible. Advens is also committed to hiring half of the trainees at the end of the course and selecting partners in its ecosystem to hire the other half.
The four phases of the Advens training programme
- Phase 0 – Identifying the most suitable roles for trainees at Advens.
- Phase 1 – Recruitment: applicants dot not necessarily need prior technical skills; they just need to be passionate about cyber security.
- Phase 2 – Intensive training offered by Microsoft by Simplon, from November 2022 to February 2023. Its goal is to educate people about good cyber security practices and inspire them to learn about the profession.
- Phase 3 – Apprenticeship with Advens from February 2023. Practical experience: familiarisation with work tools, in-depth mentoring and skills development at Advens or one of its partners.
As well as bringing in young people from all backgrounds, Advens aspires to broaden its recruitment pool further. For example, Advens has partnered with organisations in the Paris Educational District (Académie de Paris) to educate young women about jobs in cyber.
