Loading
Blog
Recent ActivityRecent Activity
4 minute read

Cybersecurity Careers: The Flexibility to Grow

A software and analytics skillset grew into a successful cybersecurity career, unlocking potential and possibility for Global Capability Manager Vicky Bruce

Share This:

LinkedInLinkedIn
XX
FacebookFacebook
PrintPrint
EmailEmail
Vicky Bruce poses in a lounge area at Rockwell's Milwaukee headquarters.

After spending 13 years in a software career, Vicky Bruce wanted to turn her attention to services—cyber services, specifically.

“This is an incredibly fast-growing, dynamic space and I thrive on change and innovation, so this seemed like a natural progression of my career,” said Vicky, Global Capability Manager, Network and Cybersecurity Services. “I became familiar with cybersecurity from the consumer side and as a Rockwell employee. I love technology and a background in software gave me the foundation I needed to make a difference for our company and our customers.”

Vicky applied what she’d learned on the software analytics team, specifically about data integration and machine learning, to her cybersecurity career.

“What I realized is there are ways to succeed in this field without having decades of experience,” Vicky said. “You need to be curious.”

Customers already have a huge responsibility to keep their plants and operations moving. In software for Industrial Controls Systems (ICS), alarms notify users of a problem on a line. If a heat sensor trips, for example, there is potential for the line to shut down.

Cybersecurity breaches threaten much more than the physical manufacturing environment, affecting customers, their clients and partners, and even average citizens.

“If we get an alert in cybersecurity, the impact could be even greater. An alert notifies OT (operational technology) cybersecurity experts of the potential harm to people, environments, or production and the ability to respond smart and fast is crucial,” Vicky said.

A New Perspective

Vicky appreciates Rockwell’s methodology for securely developing software, because she was familiar with threat vectors – and now she’s watching the world from a new perspective.

“We secure what the world relies on,” Vicky said. “I’m thorough and careful and have almost been tricked by emails that coincidentally related to exactly what I was working on. They want you to click on a link and act fast. No one is infallible. We’re busy, and it just takes one moment to do great harm. Constant vigilance is hard and it’s also necessary in this world. And our work makes it possible for other people to do their jobs, with the important protections we have in place for our customers and ourselves as a manufacturing company.”

Vicky likes to try new things, and at Rockwell her managers and teams have supported her career aspirations.

“I’ve always felt that I could try something new, and many of the opportunities I’ve discovered have come from working with teams outside of my area and employee resource groups,” Vicky said.

“Here, we’re regularly looking for ways to help employees further their personal and career goals. I always assumed I’d take the path to principal engineer. Knowing that I have support has allowed me to follow a career path I never could have imagined.”

Flexible career pathing

For women in particular, Vicky views Rockwell as an exceptional company.

“If you seek a technical career, Rockwell has a technical career path. And if you want to explore, move up or move laterally, and take on roles that are outside of your comfort zone or expertise, there’s a path for that too,” Vicky said.

“We don’t know what all the cybersecurity career paths will look like in five years. I’m naturally adventurous, so the path of the unknown suits me. But there’s also a path for deep domain experts who have found a niche and want to grow there.”

Low risk, high reward

Vicky has felt empowered to create her own path based on advice she received early in her Rockwell career.

“I had a mentor tell me: when you begin looking for your next role, consider the skills you would learn over anything else. Try something new if it excites you. You are not trapped if you don’t like it, you have choices and can make a change.”

In her role as global capability manager, Vicky leads and manages a team of product managers who drive new business by prioritizing ideas and bringing them to market to meet customer needs. She just hired three new employees and the message to each is this: Working for a global company presents endless opportunities in roles that span product security, customer support, and emerging and established technologies.

“We have unparalleled opportunities within our own company,” she said. “There’s a reason so many employees have such a long tenure—they’ve found ways to develop within the company while learning and growing in their field of expertise or be able to move around. OT, and its convergence with IT, is highly visible, fascinating, and constantly evolving, and the company continues to invest in the future.”

Trailblazers wanted

At Rockwell, thousands of employees work together to support our cybersecurity efforts for our company, our distributors and partners, and our customers. Want to learn more and explore the many career opportunities at Rockwell? Check out our Cybersecurity Careers page and create your own story, like Kristin, Abhishek, Ofek and Maty, and Gal.
 

Published March 27, 2024

Topics: Cybersecurity Software

Carol Jors
Carol Jors
Storyteller, Rockwell Automation
Subscribe

Subscribe to Rockwell Automation and receive the latest news, thought leadership and information directly to your inbox.

Subscribe
Recommended for You
Loading
  1. Chevron LeftChevron Left Rockwell Automation Home Chevron RightChevron Right
  2. Chevron LeftChevron Left Com... Chevron RightChevron Right
  3. Chevron LeftChevron Left News Chevron RightChevron Right
  4. Chevron LeftChevron Left Blogs Chevron RightChevron Right
  5. Chevron LeftChevron Left Cybersecurity Careers: The Flexibility to Grow Chevron RightChevron Right
Please update your cookie preferences to continue.
This feature requires cookies to enhance your experience. Please update your preferences to allow for these cookies:
  • Social Media Cookies
  • Functional Cookies
  • Performance Cookies
  • Marketing Cookies
  • All Cookies
You can update your preferences at any time. For more information please see our Privacy Policy
CloseClose