The main benefit of an online course is the flexibility of time and location. One can pursue the course at their own convenience without compromising on other commitments. Here’s how Sudarshan Pai benefitted from our online course in Cyber Security.
Can you tell us about your background and work experience?
I am an IIM Ahmedabad Alumnus and rank 16th in the All India CA exams. I was the lead auditor for CISA, CISSP, CEH, CHFI, and ISO-27001. Further, I have completed various management certification courses across different institutions such as Harvard, MIT Sloan, Columbia, INSEAD, London School of Economics, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, ISB Hyderabad, and IIT Madras. Currently, I’m pursuing a course from Stanford University as well.
As for my professional background, I am working at KS Aiyar & Co., Chartered Accountants as the Senior Vice President and Director, practice lead and Head of Risk Assurance & Advisory Services. I also provide various risk consulting services to our clients over a range of categories including Cyber Security, ERP Security, Data Management, Governance risk, and regulatory compliance services.
I am a business leader with over 20 years of work experience in risk consulting with the big 4 audit and consulting firms in North America and Middle East (PWC – Canada and EY- Qatar) and major North American Financial Institutions (TD Bank, Sun Life Insurance and President Choice Bank in Canada). Have leadership experience in Business Development, Marketing, Staff Development, Recruitment, and Training and have worked with clients across 6 Countries. My primary focus industry has been the financial services industry.
Why did you take up the Cyber Security program with Great Learning?
As part of my day-to-day work, I am responsible for providing my team with risk assurance and financial advice. I am responsible for business development and need to meet several key stakeholders and executives to understand the risks they are facing and offer solutions for the same. One of the key services offered as a part of my role is Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience. I felt the need to develop my skills and learn more about this field because it would enable me to offer valuable solutions to my clients.
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What did you like the most about the program and curriculum?
According to me, the best part about the course was the content. The course was very comprehensive and in-depth, it gave me an insight into the various risks and challenges faced by organisations in this field. I gained knowledge about the vulnerabilities that organisations are exposed to due to malicious hackers. I was able to implement solutions and gain practical knowledge through projects. The concepts were easy to grasp.
How did the team at Great Learning make sure that the 6-month journey was comfortable?
Gauthami Chandil and her team were extremely diligent in addressing any issues we faced during the course. They were very proactive and prompt in fixing issues within a short period. We were always prepared and knew the steps involved to resolve any issues. Another great part of the course was that the support team was based in India, although the course is offered online from Stanford. This made it easy to resolve any queries. As part of the project submission, the local team would review the submissions and provide timely feedback, allowing us to modify the assignments before submission.
Can you tell us about the project and how it helped you?
The course provided an in-depth understanding of the various aspects of the Cybersecurity domain. The project taught me about the risk involved and trends in this field. It was beneficial since it provided practical experience which I wouldn’t gain if the course was strictly theory-based. It gave me an insight into how the real-world functions and ensured that I was industry ready once I completed the course.
Also Read: 15 most important Cybersecurity Interview Questions
Do you have any advice for the aspirants who want to take up this program?
I would highly recommend this course to aspirants who are currently in the risk and consulting industry, as it will help you upgrade the skills required in this dynamic industry. I come from a non-technical background but was still able to understand the concepts taught since they cover the basics as well.
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