Collaborative Security Career Event Succeeds: Partnership Between UCL and City of London Crime Prevention Association Yields Positive Results

Collaborative Security Career Event Succeeds: Partnership Between UCL and City of London Crime Prevention Association Yields Positive Results

February 11, 2025: UCL's Career Navigation Event Shines the Light on Security and Crime Science Careers

Swinging open the doors of opportunity in security and crime science, the University College London (UCL) Department of Security and Crime Science, in conjuction with CoLCPA, hosted a packed house for their career-focused event, "Navigating your career after security and crime science." Over a hundred eager students and faculty rocked up for this golden chance to tap into a variety of careers in the security and crime prevention sectors.

The event, orchestrated at none other than the prestigious UCL campus, saw the head of security at UCL, Oliver Curran, as well as representatives of CoLCPA, enjoy a front-row seat to an informative evening.

Spotlight on Careers

Six professionals from different walks of life took the stage, offering a comprehensive vista into possible career paths:

1. Jessica Woodcock (Hertfordshire Police): A bona fide detective in training, Woodcock dished the dish on day-to-day detective work, complete with missing person cases and full-blown manhunts.
2. Nick Fullick (Securitas UK): Hailing from the Risk Intelligence Centre, Fullick spoke about the role of an analyst and drummed up the significance of flexibility and nailing those short deadlines. He encouraged students to scope out job requirements using open-source intelligence (OSINT) and to pay extra-special attention to proofreading their applications.
3. Octavia Brooke-Turner (PwC): With travel risk management on her resume, Brooke-Turner shared the sheer scale of PwC's operations and her everyday responsibilities of providing travel info, advice, and security risk assessments.
4. Matthew Eccles (City of London Police): Eccles spilled the beans on cybercrime and the Cyber Griffin program. He offered guidance on various training pathways and certifications, including CompTIA, CISM, and CISMP, and urged students to embark on extra-curricular activities in this field.
5. Leo Kelly (Hammersmith & Fulham Council): Kelly, representing the Emergency Planning team, divulged insights into public sector security roles.
6. Letitia Emeana (Unilever): Emeana, holding ASIS CPP, PSP, and CISMP certifications, schooled us on her strategic gig at Unilever. She put the emphasis on curiosity, networking, and passion as the key ingredients for a successful career in security.

Experience Times Two

The event garnered kudos from attendees, appreciative of the top-notch speakers and the rare opportunity to explore various career niches in the security sector. City Security magazine was passed around as an added resource for students, further boosting the event's educational cachet.

With the security landscape swiftly evolving, shindigs like these are mission critical in preparing the budding cohort of security pros to tackle the challenges of a rapidly changing world. A big shoutout goes to Danny Moody CSyP, MSyl, RISC, Graham Bassett MSyI, Martin Lo for masterminding such an uplifting event, and to Matt Ashby for capturing some breathtaking snaps.

Andrea Berkoff

Editor

P.S. A Pinch of Insight

The UCL Department of Security and Crime Science offers valuable insights into career paths in the security and crime prevention sectors through its numerous programs and research initiatives. Here are some eye-openers on what’s cooking:

Know Your Programs

1. Crime and Security Science Program:
2. BSc Crime and Security Science: This undergraduate badge at UCL focuses on understanding how crime prevention and security can be achieved through evidence-based research and tech wizardry. It prepares students for gigs in law enforcement, policymaking, and private security firms.
3. Admission and Career Prospects: The program is red-hot, with a 42.05% acceptance rate in recent admissions[2]. Grads can expect roles in crime prevention, security analysis, and policymaking.
4. EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber-Physical Risk:
5. This PhD program unites brains from diverse areas to meet cyber-physical risks. Bonus: It offers fully funded scholarships and a unique Venturer funding stream for start-up ideas[1].
6. Post-Grad Prospects: Grads can anticipate career opportunities in cybersecurity, infrastructure security, smart city management, and data-driven risk analysis.
7. One for All:
8. The department emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach, blending the best of computer science, statistics, engineering, psychology, and media studies. This equips students for a wide gamut of roles in both public and private sectors.
9. The career-focused event at UCL emphasized the significance of various skills in finance, education, and self-development for securing jobs in different sectors of the security and crime prevention industries, such as analytical skills for positions like Nick Fullick's at Securitas UK.
10. To maximize career opportunities in the security and crime science field, individuals might consider enrolling in programs like the Crime and Security Science Program at UCL, which offers valuable insights, training, and research experiences in areas such as technology and policy.
11. Pursuing a career in the security industry might involve gaining certifications like CompTIA, CISM, or CISMP, as demonstrated by Letitia Emeana's work at Unilever, which requires strategic thinking and a combination of education and real-world experience for success.

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