She is senior lecturer in security risk management at Portsmouth University, vice chairman of the Security Institute and a published author.
On 22 June Dr Alison Wakefield will take to the stage at IFSEC International, joining a panel of successful women who will share their career advice. Register here for the panel discussion, taking place at 14.40 in IFSEC’s Security Management Theatre and enjoy the preview below.
IFSEC Global: How did you end up in the security industry?
Dr Alison Wakefield: My teenage ambition was to join the police, leading me to serve as a volunteer with Surrey Police for four years and study criminology at university. In the course of my studies I developed a curiosity about the under-researched sphere of private security which inspired me to make it the focus of a PhD.
This ultimately led me into a specialist niche within academia which has become more and more interesting and relevant as the world has become more complex, and as private security has adapted accordingly and become so much more sophisticated. I then came to be involved in the member associations of the security sector, initially the International Institute of Security, on the strength of my role as one of the few specialist academics within the field.
IG: What has been your biggest career challenge to this day?
AW: I spent 18 months working in Sydney, based at the University of New South Wales. It was a challenge setting up all aspects of my life from scratch in a new country so far from home, but doing so built up my skills and confidence in so many ways. I would encourage anyone who may have the opportunity to live and work or study overseas to give it a try, as it really expands a person’s horizons.
Doing so also really helped me realise what I appreciate most about the UK and Europe, and become more immune to our negative and demoralising news media industry, even though I still have a strong affection for Australia.
IG: What is your biggest tip for being successful in security?
AW: A smart person recognises what they do and what they don’t know, and asks questions or takes other steps to find out when they don’t know. In today’s information age, the answers are always out there.
At my university, our most successful students approach their studies with humility, intellectual curiosity and resourcefulness, and it is such a pleasure to see them thrive as a result of this kind of positive attitude.
Young people just starting out on their career journey need to recognise this as well as the fact that most experienced professionals will be pleased to assist them. They often find networking events intimidating, however, and so everything that established security practitioners can do to make them feel welcome and help them towards their goals will help us attract the brightest young minds into the sector.
IG: What is your advice for other women who are aspiring to do the same as you?
AW: Academic studies are not only important for developing knowledge, skills and qualifications, but also a really good way of exploring particular areas of interest and networking with specialists in those areas, particularly when it comes to choosing a topic for a dissertation.
I often encourage students to undertake dissertation studies that are based on interviews with subject matter experts in their area of interest, as a way of building contacts as well as developing subject knowledge.
A more immediate way of achieving this is by volunteering, which enables individuals to demonstrate their skills, work alongside experienced practitioners and be recognised in the wider profession for giving something back to the community.
Associations like the Security Institute are built on the efforts of the volunteers among their memberships, while front line experience of delivering security can be gained through roles in the Special Constabulary, military reserves or third sector organisations like the Princess Royal’s Voluntary Corps or Serve On, both of which are important in the crisis management field.
Young people who are interested in an analyst/policy career relating to matters of political and security risk should have a look at the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, a new London-based global think tank with which I am involved, which is largely run by volunteers and often has opportunities for interns. In the Security Institute we will also be creating more opportunities for members to write and publish short articles, and members and potential members are very welcome to contact me about this.
IG: What about advice specifically for young women?
AW: Women can be more self-critical than men, but when setting such high standards for themselves they often have so much more to offer than they realise. Senior people are rarely as intimidating as they may appear, and young people need to be proactive in introducing themselves to employers and asking about work experience opportunities. Some persistence is necessary though, as such people are busy and often flooded with emails.
Directly after my first degree I secured internships at the Home Office and the Policy Studies Institute, a think tank, after writing speculative letters offering my time on a paid or unpaid basis depending on what the organisations could offer. My university has dedicated placements officers who work with employers to establish internships, and I would be delighted to hear from any employers who may be interested in finding out more about this.
IG: Where do you see the security profession in, let’s say, 10 years?
AW: It will be younger, more diverse, more qualifications-based, wider in scope, higher in status and more closely integrated with government. Market forces will be the main driving factor in such change, but the sector’s associations such as the Security Institute, and its educational providers such as the University of Portsmouth, play an important role in promoting these improvements and helping individuals develop.
Security should be a career of choice for young people, with plenty of apprenticeships, work placements and graduate trainee positions made available. The government’s new apprenticeship levy and apprenticeship standard for a security first line manager are steps in the right direction. Richard Diston has contributed an excellent article discussing the implications of this to the May issue of Risk UK Magazine, for our monthly ‘The Security Institute’s View’ column.
I am also very proud of the fact that we have introduced a Professional Doctorate in Security Risk management at the University of Portsmouth, in addition to our provision at bachelor’s and master’s level. This is enabling us to work with senior security practitioners to help them achieve the highest level of qualification, maximise their potential and inspire others to extend their education.
IG: Where do you see the security profession going, specifically for women?
AW: Women will remain a minority within the profession unless the pools of recruitment diversify. The more that the security sector equips itself to recruit straight from schools and universities, and to train individuals on the job, the more it will be able to attract the brightest and best as well as benefiting from a diversity of skills and perspectives.
Every year I teach a security module to about 60 undergraduate criminology students, of whom at least half are always female, and at the end of the module many ask me about security careers.
If employers are determined to recruit in their own image, as so often happens, they will miss out on the fresh viewpoints that are so important in a competitive economy. Successful firms recognise that is important to balance cultural fit and diversity in the recruitment process.
If the sector opens itself up more effectively to the younger generation, the gender balance will improve and the security profession will be stronger for its foresight.
IG: What makes security a great industry to have a career in?
AW: By the end of a typical week I will have worked with people on issues as important and wide-ranging as counter terrorism, cyber crime, fraud, crisis management, maritime security and critical infrastructure protection, whether this is through teaching, research, my Security Institute work or wider external engagement.
Nobody’s eyes glaze over after I am asked what I do for a living; in fact, this is always a conversation starter!
There is always a mind-boggling amount still to learn and there are countless opportunities to give something back. The industry offers terrific prospects but achieving qualifications and building a reputation are essential for job mobility, otherwise it can be difficult to break out of the silos that exist within security as with any other sector.
Dr. Alison Wakefield will share more career advice at IFSEC International 2015 on 22 June, 14.40-15.30. She will join a panel including Dawn Holmes, Pauline Norstrom, Jayne King, Lynn Watts Plumpkin and Emma Shaw. Together they will debate careers in security and opportunities for women.
The debate will take place in the Security Management Theatre at ExCel London. Register for your ticket here.
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