Member Article

Cybersecurity expert joins Northumbria university employer liaison board

David Horn, chief technology officer at Seaham-based cybersecurity firm, CyberWhite, has been appointed to the employer liaison board at Northumbria University.

He brings with him a wealth of experience from a career spanning more than 20 years in technology and cybersecurity and from his role as a coach and mentor to young people interested in a career in the sectors.

Northumbria University was recently recognised as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research by the National Cyber Security Centre; a key milestone in the North East further consolidating its reputation as a centre of excellence.

Universities are at the forefront of preparing the next generation of cyber security specialists, equipping them to tackle an ever-changing threat landscape.

Through the support of local employers, such as CyberWhite, the university hopes that more opportunities will be created to retain qualified people in the region whilst offering clear career paths and prospects for advancement and research.

In addition to his work with Northumbria University, David is a mentor for award-winning charity Founders4Schools, a business ambassador for Business in the Community, and vice chair of the board at Lord Lawson of Beamish Academy.

David Horn said “It’s fantastic to be able to provide input into the university. Our involvement can really help to shape the future of courses, including key skills that are required when students enter the world of work.

“Partnerships like this are key. They allow the university to really understand the requirements of the employers, and equally, employers to understand much more about the support available to them from the university. It really is a true partnership built on a shared vision of excellence for the region”.

Gerhard Fehringer, director of employability, department of computer and information sciences and Northumbria University, said: “David’s membership on our employee liaison board provides an ongoing dialogue with a company specialising in Information Security and gives us fresh input into our courses.

“Working with companies like CyberWhite helps us identify the types of employability skills which are important for the current and future job market. We have a growing number of talented students preparing to go out and join the work force, and we’ll always do everything we can to ensure they are ready to hit the ground running.

“If, as part of their training, we can demonstrate the benefits of staying in the North East, that’s even better.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by News Gathering .