Profile
Ian Fletcher
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About Me:
Hi, I’m Ian, I live in Sidmouth with my family (3 children) and 2 dogs. I’m an Explorer Scout Leader and also boat crew on Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat – and tend to be very busy outside of work.
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My Work:
I am a cyber security specialist working in the NHS, and my role is to help NHS organisations, such as hospitals, improve their cybersecurity.
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My role covers the whole of the southwest of the country, so I will talk to organisations to make sure they are doing all they can to stop ‘hackers’ from getting into their computer systems which could cause their computers and medical equipment to stop working. Sometimes it can be technical advice, but a lot of time it is making sure staff know how to protect their computer (such as passwords) and no what to do if things do go wrong and they do get hacked. I also help organisations run exercises to practice their response if they do get a cyber attack.
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My Typical Day:
I spend a lot of my day on ‘virtual’ meetings from my home, although occasionally I will visit hospitals and meet people who are responsible for cyber security in their hospital. My hours are quite flexible, although generally I work normal office hours (8:30 – 4:30pm).
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When I meet with the people from hospitals (they generally are IT people and not doctors or nurses) I will show them the data I have on their organisation and talk about their cyber risks, and how they can go about improving their cyber security. Sometimes NHS England (an organisation that looks after all of the hospitals in the country) has particularly products and services that might help that organisation, and I discuss how a hospital might want to use it to make them less likely to get attacked.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would look to use any prize money to help promote the digital and cyber jobs in the NHS. I would love to come out to schools and talk about what a fantastic career you can have in the NHS – you don’t have to be a Doctor to work in a hospital!
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Education:
I went to Gravesend Grammar School – although was better at English that I was at science! Learning to write well, write reports and explain your thoughts has helped me the jobs I have got since leaving university.
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Qualifications:
I got 9 GCSEs and 3 A levels (English, Geography and Biology). I did a degree in Geology and Geographical Science, but it wasn’t until I was much older that I did my MA in Information Assurance.
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Work History:
I joined the Royal Navy after leaving University and spent just over 17 years as a Warfare Officer. I did specialise in hydrography (survey the sea bed) and meteorology.
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Current Job:
I’m currently a principle security consultant.
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Employer:
NHS England – the central body that oversees NHS organisations.
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My Interview
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What did you want to be after you left school?
I wanted to be a pilot!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Not really - although I did once get caught by the Headmaster when I was just about to throw a blackboard rubber!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Something to do with the environment.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Pink Floyd
What's your favourite food?
Cake!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Be happy, be health, be wealthy
Tell us a joke.
2 fish in a tank, one goes to the other 'how do you drive this thing'?
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