How Many Of You Have Been In Security The Whole Time But Now Have Security/Network+ Or CISSP?

true security folks

Wait, what about us who came over from the IT / telecom side? Are we not 'true security'? :)

In all seriousness, it is a good topic and I have queued this up for a future survey. Surveys (which get 100+ responses) are better ways to get structured responses at scale to better reveal patterns.

That said, this is a fine discussion to have. As for my opening remark, my gut feel is that a lot of 'security folks' were first IT folks.

I am specifically excluding the IT first folks because I assume they would either already have them or know they should and that would skew the result.  

I would love to attend the CompTia courses if my employer would help me pay. I've also heard good things about Bicsi RCDD courses. It's crucial now to be able to keep up with some of these very smart and educated IT people out in the field who we work closely with.

I started my career with a national cable company that broke into the security side of the business. From there I work for an electrical company that has a security division. I have basic knowledge of networking but nothing that would consider me very knowledgeable. With that I more want to chase certifications and training to be on the integrator side. However I do see the technology merging together where a company will look at hiring people with a list of certs and those of us beyond the go back to college stage will be on the outside looking in. At some point just experience wont count anymore.

Well , Im not from security , I am from electrical engineering side 

Started out as an electrician, went to college untill is was sick of school, then went HV side of electrical, got sick of the mad hours and harsh work conditions, so converted to security for a change of pace. Easy work compared to electrical

The kept getting certifications and certificates while working like mad 

Got sick of the trunkslammer attitude s in the low voltage industry , so I started my own business , while going to school and working. 

never saw much of my kids growing up , everything has a price

sold my 1st business, started another business 

changed the clientale each time . 

Think Im qualified or do you think i need a Cissp or other certification. 

Been to so many leviton, and others certifications

 I m just feeling it is a lifetime event to stay up on the changing enviornments and requirements . 

I have evolved in each case to a different standard and yearly process of certifications

like all apprenticeships there has to be a end to the change. 

I think were are finally at that stage ( POE,Voip, computer based controls, controller, software based systems in and at all levels 

If your not fluent in computers for this next gen. your an installer , nothing more, as the evolution of the industry is to the Precision and process  stage. 

Christopher, that is kind of my whole point.  Anyone can say they are "fluent in computers" but without some sort of proof, why would a customer (or employer for that mater) have any faith in that claim? 

It seems to me that if you want to truly stay current you have to spend the time and money required to stay up to speed and certified on the relevant topics.  CISSP is probably not required for all installers, but there is certainly a justification for it in the physical security space and it is on par with the PSP as far as I am concerned.  

I think any installer with even an ounce of initiative should be going after network+ and security+ as a baseline, but that is just my opinion.  

I have done both the Comptia A+ and CCNA in the last 2 years, currently doing a small Cybersecurity Essentials course through Cisco and will follow that with Security + or CCNA security. Time and time again I come across installers who don't even understand a 24 bit subnet mask yet, they installing large IP systems.

This is one of those times I should shut my trap but I find the responses a little insulting. 

If you are asking about IT security, you are spot on.  If you are talking about the overall physical security industry those credentials are low on the list.

Which is it?