Building a successful and rewarding career in IT doesn’t happen by accident. For those that make it to the top, the chances are they planned out their journey ahead of time, then executed on that vision.
At ALC Training, we also want to help you reach the top of this endlessly challenging and fascinating profession. Fortunately, there’s a clear and proven pathway which can take you from a solid foundation in IT service management, to the heights of the cyber security industry.
Read on to learn exactly what that journey involves, and how ALC Training can guide you along it.
Why the ITIL Certification Matters
Over the years, the ITIL certification has proved the cornerstone of innumerable successful IT careers. We’d describe ITIL 4 as a genuine game changer, which has breathed new life into IT Service Management.
The ITIL 4 Foundation course – one of our most popular offerings, at ALC Training – is the essential starting point for ITIL. In fact, it’s seen as a must-have for many IT-related operations and departments.
If you’re looking to give your IT Service Management career the perfect base, look no further than ITIL 4.
CISSP – The Gold Standard in Security Qualifications
Holders of ITIL 4 certification can go in all sorts of directions. One of the most lucrative and sought-after, however, is heading into cyber security.
The CISSP certification is a high-level but broad cyber security qualification. Whether you’re looking to eventually get a job as a security architect or consultant, or land a senior leadership role, CISSP is an excellent choice.
It also builds naturally and brilliantly on prior qualifications. For those who’ve started in IT operations or ITSM, and want to move into security leadership, CISSP is rightly seen as a ‘capstone’ on both their learning and CV.
Your Complete Pathway
By now, it should already be easy to see why the ITIL to CISSP pathway is so popular. Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide on how to take this journey yourself.
Years 0-2: ITIL Foundation + Operations Roles
This is your early career stage, in which you’ll look to build the experience, skills, and qualifications to set yourself up for the long-term.
A few typical roles at this stage include working on the service desk, in IT support, or as an operations analyst. You can develop your expertise in incident handling, documentation, stakeholder communication, and other valuable areas.
The ITIL 4 Foundation course is the perfect qualification to pursue at this stage. Dedicated, instructor-led teaching like that offered by ALC Training will not only give you significant amounts of knowledge quickly, but also provide a structured entry point into IT service management.
Years 2-4: Specialised Security Training + Intermediate Certificates
This is the phase in which you should start looking to specialise. If you’re specifically aiming to move into cyber security, now’s the time to take steps in that direction.
You can begin to do so by building your security-related experience and responsibilities within your current IT role, if possible. Look to build your understanding of risk, compliance, and governance nice and early and grow your familiarity with cyber security frameworks.
A great way to accelerate your learning here is to take short courses and intermediate cyber security certifications along the way. These aren’t ’end goals’, like the CISSP certification, but can build your skills and resume tremendously.
Years 4-7: CISSP Certification and Leadership Roles
It’s time to make your big push. You’ve put the years into building up your experience, your CV, and your qualifications. Now, you can capitalise on all that, and go all-in on your CISSP certification.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of the CISSP certification in this sector. It truly is seen as the gold standard, and over and over again has been shown to unlock the higher-level roles: security manager, architect, consultant, and so on. It’s also an excellent route into cyber security leadership positions, which tend to be the most invigorating and financially rewarding jobs of all.
In short, CISSP is more than worth the commitment. Take our CISSP Certification Prep concentrated course and you give yourself an excellent shot at landing this valuable qualification. Across five days you’ll be fully-immersed in everything you need to know about the CISSP Body of Knowledge, covering all eight domains and fully preparing you to take the accreditation examination.
After that, the cyber security world really can be your oyster.
Building Your Career the Right Way
Being deliberate and thoughtful in building your cyber security career really can pay dividends over the long-term.
If you’re just starting out, now’s the perfect time to lay the groundwork. If you’re already underway, it’s never too late to introduce some direction into your journey, and acquire qualifications which will improve your skills, knowledge, and employability.
The ITIL to CISSP pathway might take a few years to complete. There’s a reason it’s so popular, however; it’s because it works and, with ALC Training by your side, you’ll give yourself the best possible chance of succeeding at every step of the way.