Pulling Training Time Out of Thin Air
In the busy hustle of life and work it is hard to find time to continue learning. We all want to but where do we find the time? Here are two great ways to start. I like many was experiencing this issue but as a new years goal for 2015 I decided to try and do something about it. After taking a look at my available time I found a part of the day that would work for this experiment. If you are anywhere close to the average Stats Canada says “In 2011, commuters spent an average of 25.4 minutes traveling to work. This was almost the same as the average in the United States for the same year (25.5 minutes).” Now I am a fair bit above this average with a commute of 60 minutes each way and in the back of my mind I knew listening to the radio was not my best use of time so January 1st I downloaded two apps to my phone. They were a podcast player app and an Audible Membership.
Audible
Audible allows me to continue learning and listen to way more books then I would ever get through by sitting down and reading. Books on business and entrepreneurship like The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, or The $100 Startup by Chris Buillebeau just to name a few. Books on business can get dry though so I mix up my selection by listening to biographies like Elon Musk, continued education like Tim Ferriss: Accelerated Learning in Accelerated Times or the occasional fiction. In the last year I have been able to listen to over 15 books and I have 2 more on the go right now. As someone who enjoys reading but finds it very hard to find the time to actually sit down to do it Audible has been an amazing addition to my daily commute.
Podcasts
Podcasts in my opinion are the single greatest tool for IT professionals to continue learning and stay up to date on current or breaking issues and the range of topics seems to be never ending. Lets start with a good player. When I started this journey I dug out my old 3Gen iPod touch but after a few weeks of waking up every morning and trying to remember to download some of my daily podcasts I decided to cut down on the number of devices I was carrying and find a more fully featured podcast player for my Samsung Galaxy. After searching for a bit I found the Podcast & Radio Addict app had all the features (like auto, scheduled download) I was looking for. Now not all of us have the same amount of time but the selection of podcasts below should be a good starting point for anyone who is interested in computer security.
SANS Internet Storm Center – Daily Stormcasts
Stormcasts are daily 5-10 minute information security threat updates. They are kinda like a weather forecast except they are covering the last 24 hours and any new breaking news. This short podcast has become one of the key podcasts I listen to and more then once has given me breaking news to share with my team in our morning meeting. More information can be found at https://isc.sans.edu/
Defensive Security Podcast
The Defensive security podcast by Jerry Bell and Andrew Kalat has been another favorite. I find the content they cover is of good quality and senseless rambling is kept to minimum. This podcast is usually produced on a weekly schedule and their website is a treasure trove content as well. More information can be found at https://www.defensivesecurity.org/
Brakeing Down Security
The Brakeing Down Security podcast by Bryan Brake and Brian Boettcher is a newcomer to my list and is all about the world of Security, Privacy, Compliance, and Regulatory issues that arise in today’s workplace. More information can be found at https://www.brakeingsecurity.com/
PVC Security
The PVC Security Podcast is also a new member of my listening repertoire and focuses on leadership and security. The humor in this podcast always brings a smile if not a full out laugh to my morning. PVCSec, site & podcast & whatnot, is the brainchild of Messrs. Paul R. Jorgensen & Edgar “Silver Fox” Rojas. They see a lack of information security leadership and a lack of leadership in information security. Ed & Paul also poke at media misinformation, FUD, and anything else where a different perspective provides benefits. Mr. Timothy DeBlock is the recording engineer and sounding board and Senior Baseball Correspondent. More information can be found at https://www.pvcsec.com/
Time is the most precious element of human existence. The successful person knows how to put energy into time and how to draw success from time. – Dennis Waitley