Despite the dizzy heights women across the globe have reached during the past few decades, the IT world is yet to become a balanced, represented industry for women who wish to explore their technological talents in this increasingly digital era.
Fortunately, women like Anna Collard from Hout Bay are fast becoming leading role models for girls who wish to pursue a career in IT. So, gather round all gadget gals – Collard is the third world’s trailblazer for future females in tech.
Collard is the Senior Vice President of Content Strategy and Evangelist for KnowBe4 Africa where they drive security awareness across the African continent.
“I founded Popcorn Training, a security content training provider which was acquired by KnowBe4 in 2018. I’m also on the board of the MiDO Cyber Academy Programme, aimed at underserved communities in South Africa to bridge the cyber skills divide.”
She is a multi-award-winning expert in her field as she has been awarded as one of the top International Fire and Security Exhibition and Conference (IFSEC) Global Security Influencers 2022, as well as Women in Tech Innovation Award 2020 South Africa.
“Most recently, I’ve just come back from the Cybersecurity Women of the Year Awards in Las Vegas where I won the People’s Choice award – very unexpectedly – so I can’t tell what exactly the winning recipe was.
“I’ve worked in cybersecurity for 20 years and only started getting recognized in the last two to three years. I think it pays off to gain experience, get involved in community projects where we can give back and being passionate about our industry,” she told People’s Post.
When asked to paint a picture of gender inequality still faced in the cybersecurity industry, Collard quoted CyberCrime Magazine as saying “women hold 25% of global cyber security jobs in 2022.
This number is expected to increase to 35% in 2031. According to a report by (ISC)², the Cybersecurity Professional Organisation, women in this field currently account for only about one quarter (24%) of the overall workforce.
“The Middle East and Africa have the lowest representation, with women contributing to five percent and nine percent of the cybersecurity workforce respectively.”
Although this might seem like a bleak picture, Collard and many other organisations worldwide are working to secure a broader future for women in many different fields of the IT world.
She wishes to nudge those with a keen interest in the right direction to follow their heart’s desire.
“It is a growing and fascinating field that suits anyone who is curious and enjoys learning. It is also a very diverse field not limited to coding or hacking only, even though it would be nice to see more female engineers or hackers too.”
She explains that her field, which is about driving security cultures, has more to do with the “human factor”, communication and psychology.
“Or one could go into management or governance and risk fields. There is also a big security vendor industry that needs good people in sales, marketing, product development and operational support,” Collard added.
However, she highlighted that there is a large cybercrime industry that profits greatly from stealing people’s identity, extorting companies with ransomware and cyber-attacks or by stealing sensitive information and money.
“And this is not going to go away anytime soon, particularly with criminals often being the first to use new emerging technology.
“When we think about how immersed our lives are with technology and how big the cyber threat is, becoming more aware of how to stay safe online is no longer a tech skill, but a life skill,” Collard insists.
What is wonderful for Collard, is that the Cybersecurity industry is a growing community of women in the South African region via the Women in Cybersecurity Group ( WiCyS Africa) headed by the incredible Kerissa Varma.
“Here, both new entrants and senior leaders get to mix and learn from each other and offer support. I encourage any woman interested in this field to join and network with these amazing ladies.”
A question, however, remains whether being a woman in the Cybersecurity industry gives one a certain advantage or unique angle among one’s male counterparts?
“Sometimes being the odd one out means we can bring a different perspective and a fresh way of thinking to the table.
“Also, throughout my career, I found that my male colleagues were always willing to support or help me when I needed it.”
Following great personal strides in the tech industry, Collard’s excitement is now emanating from the recently launched MIDO Security Academy programme aimed at underserved communities in the Stellenbosch area.
“The objective of this programme, which is funded in large by the British The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) office, as well as by KnowBe4, is to give these kids a pathway out of poverty by equipping them with cybersecurity, life skills and exposing them to leaders from our industry.
“If this pilot programme works well, hopefully we can replicate it to other regions in the country.”
