U.S. – ASEAN Internship Program Webinar: Exploring the Potentials of Cybersecurity Careers in ASEAN

US - ASEAN Internship Program held its regular webinar series titled "Exploring the Potentials of Cybersecurity Careers in ASEAN" on Thursday, 15 October 2021. Moderated by Paul Colombini, Economic Officer at the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, the Webinar featured Prof. Lam Kwok Yan, Director of Nanyang Technopreneurship Center, Singapore, and Julie Deenonoad, APAC Director, Global Talent Management at Seagate Technology, as guest speakers. Prof. Lam laid out the various skills and knowledge constituting cybersecurity fields and how it becomes increasingly important expertise amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Julie shared from the perspective of a global technology company the emerging prospects for those pursuing cybersecurity careers and how Seagate has been investing in building digital skills for its talents across the Asia Pacific.

The COVID-19 pandemic has rendered an exceptionally unique time where human daily activities are shifted towards digital platforms. This new reality increases traffic across fiber optics, posing security of data transmissions at a greater risk. As our economies are recovering and more businesses establish an online presence, confidence in cyber platforms is critical. There is an urgency to implement measures to counter cyber threats. Cybersecurity experts are therefore on demand in the job market in an unprecedented manner. This webinar has helped companies like Seagate Technology gain recognition and grow brand awareness among ASEAN locals and provided an opportunity for those among the academic community to understand current industry needs. It benefitted the participants in gaining insight into the skills they need to develop to raise their competitiveness among job seekers.