In episode 153 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson is joined by Jason Ashong, IT Support Specialist at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). Jason shares his journey from tinkering with tech as a kid to working in IT and pursuing cybersecurity research. The conversation covers education, mentorship, hands-on experience, and advice for newcomers entering the field. Here are some highlights from our episode:

• 01:10 . Jason’s early days in IT of fixing devices and breaking things to learn
• 02:14 . First professional IT/helpdesk experience at Dutchess Community College
• 03:48 . The importance of mentors pushing you to grow
• 06:02 . Jason’s advice to students of understanding foundational computing knowledge
• 08:45 . The value of technical skills in networking, cryptography, and coding
• 11:00 . Hands-on experience through labs, competitions, and research projects
• 16:08 . Self-confidence, practice, and dedicated time as tips for navigating the job market
• 19:29 . The role of attitude in opening up new opportunities
• 24:40 . Jason flips the script and interviews Sean
• Mistakes to avoid when entering the field: imposter syndrome and perfectionism
• Cybersecurity as a path of continuous learning
• Opportunities for newcomers with experience in artificial intelligence and data science

Resources

• Episode 129: Embedding Cybersecurity in Project Management
• Episode 95: AI Augmentation and Its Impact on Cyber Defense
• Episode 44: A Zero Trust Framework Knows No End
• TryHackMe
• Hack The Box

If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing podcast@cisecurity.org.