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So many of the cyber risks we know today involve how people interact with technology and with other people as much as they involve how we set up systems and software.
This is a point that award winning cyber security instructor Louis Cremen knows all too well as he combines his interests with the experiences and learning journeys of his students to deliver human focused cyber security training in Australia.
Louis' cyber security trainer journey
We appreciate Louis taking the time to share his experiences and his thoughts on cyber security training in Australia, including advice for staying on the right and wrong side of the track.
Tell us about yourself and your background.
My name is Louis – I started off in software development, building my own company helping solve complex problems that usually involved system integration, mobile application development and server-side and database development for our clients.
I’ve had the pleasure of contracting for numerous different companies including defence, banks, academia, government and SMEs – and one of my biggest pieces of work was working for an international government bringing an award winning automated security testing solution to life for all mobile government applications ensuring the safety and reliability of government services to the people.
One of my core values is that I like to share knowledge that I gain, and so I’ve always been a problem solver and a trainer at heart.
Previously, I would write my own courses, deliver them at conferences and universities and I’ve travelled around Australia and internationally delivering these classes – including as a lecturer at the University of Wollongong for a few years.
I am now the lead cybersecurity trainer here at DDLS teaching some of the most famous and popular official cybersecurity courseware content such as CISSP, CISM, CEH, Security+ and CSSLP from various credential providers.
Outside of DDLS, what are you passionate about?
I have a weirdly long list for this. In my social media bios, I always describe myself as “Reading the internet”, I have a thirst for knowledge that is never quenched and I love learning about all sorts of different topics.
But if I had to pick something, I am currently studying Neuroscience part-time at university because I am fascinated by the brain and I think one of the next big areas that will explode in my lifetime will be Neurotechnology and Mind Computer Interfaces, and understanding the brain will also help optimise humans in ways we could never imagine are possible.
On the need for cyber security awareness training
When it comes to why cyber security should be top of mind for everyone, here's what Louis had to say:
Why do people need to learn about cybersecurity?
Attacks are real. They are common, they are becoming more automated and there is a lot of money performing criminal actions through these types of attacks (which, if you’re reading this – don’t go down this path… not many people have had good long lives this way, maybe some short-term gain, but it’s all long term pain).
Understanding security allows people to make the right decisions in the right way, because building an application or process, or infrastructure in the wrong way can lead to deep flaws and cracks that could undermine entire organisations.
On the experiences of students with cyber security training
Beyond people getting bitten by the learning bug, there's a sense of community and collective knowledge being built in Louis' cyber security courses. He shares how this supports students in having a holistic educational experience and in identifying their next steps.
Favourite thing about running cybersecurity training?
The students. Every week, I have a different group of people with different levels of expertise keen to grow in their cybersecurity journey.
They get a lot out of the material that we deliver, and the class get a lot from a combination of their experience and my experience in the field really adding a special flavour to the class that everyone regularly comments at the end is the best part of every week of training.
What types of students are your courses and training suited for?
We have classes for specialists in so many areas like Cloud, Incident Response, Auditing, Governance – there’s a class for almost anyone in their security journey.
Myself personally, I have classes for Foundation level knowledge, like Security+ and CEH which are vital for anyone beginning and starting their security pathway. I also have classes for people who have had 5-30 years' experience like CISSP and CISM – and every week I get fantastic feedback from students commenting on how much knowledge they’ve gained and ensuring they’re on the right path for both their career and for their exam to get the credential they are aiming for.
Of all the cybersecurity courses offered by DDLS, which one would you say is necessary for people to take? Why?
It depends on the security journey and where someone is and wants to go on that journey.
I regularly have students attend multiple classes because they want a solid foundation. So, they do both CEH and Security+.
I have students that want a solid understanding of how to integrate security across an organisation so they sit both CISSP and CISM.
Most of my students sit one class and get an amazing amount out of the 4 or 5 days that we go through the class content, and ask what else can they do because they’ve been bitten by the learning bug to enhance themselves more – it all depends on the student and where they want to go next.
Start your journey with cyber security training
Our goal is to make it easy for you and your teams to get access to the best learning solutions. Enquire about our flexible delivery modalities via DDLS Anywhere.
You can get information on the cybersecurity training that we deliver in partnership with the EC-Council, ISACA and CompTIA when you access our brochure. You can also reach out to our team to discuss your cybersecurity training requirements.
