After months of preamble and build up, I am proud to present the official launch of www.in2security.org.nz - the on-line home of in2securITy.

So who are we and why have we built a website?

In2securITy is an not-for-profit educational organisation run by the IT security community in New Zealand. After years of increased demand for skilled IT security people coupled with a steep decline in the number of people seeking out technical, mathematical and scientific education has left a gap. New Zealand (like most developed countries) has a serious need for experienced and capable specialists.

For those with the interest and enthusiasm, the advice on how to get into the security industry is confusing (sometimes even contradictory). It can be difficult to tell which guidance to follow and what activities to invest your time in. In fact, some less that scrupulous companies have been charging vast sums of money for training courses and qualifications aimed to give people a golden ticket to their dream security job.

In2securITy aims to share the experiences of those working as security professionals and those companies in need of skilled professionals to build a new generation. Helping those with talent and drive to gain the skills and experience really needed to land that first security job.

It's a lofty aim I know, however its the belief of the in2securITy team (and many of the professional security community) that we need to try. The current generation of security professionals aren't getting any younger. Furthermore, the NZ tradition of people emigrating for their 20's and 30's means that the gap in skilled workers is getting worse.

You can read the full mission statement by following this link.

So how are we going to do it?

The plan is to build an on-line community and fuse it with educational talks, activities and challenges throughout the year. Encouraging participants to try out all aspects of security and start to gain hands on experience in a safe and legal manner.

We have divided IT security into 6 key specialisms, each with a blog, set of resources (links and such) and a coordinator. These pages aim to answer questions, explain tools and techniques and dispel myths. They will guide participants through hands on exercises and advertise relevant community events across New Zealand. Check out the Learning and Stuff menu above to get started.

Couple this with a mentor and contact building scheme that will allow participants to make a valuable professional network and build what management types like to call a 'personal brand'.

Finally, mix in the chance for participants to spend the summer working for an organisation or business on an unpaid intern-ship or project - providing that crucial initial reference. More information can be found in the Summer Project section.

Obviously, like all great things, this scheme won't be built in a day. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to get this all up and running. Articles and resources will continue to be added as the days pass. Businesses and participants alike will be receiving briefing packs shortly... be patient with us, I promise it will be worth the wait.

Can we do it?

Of course we can - and it all begins now.

The best part is that you can be involved - either as a participant, a professional, as a business or a sponsor. So have a look around, create an account and tell your friends. If you would like a more hands on role - we are actively looking for all sorts of people from writers to graphic designers to regional representatives - check out our wishlist for more information.

Why not join the LinkedIn and Facebook groups and follow us on Twitter or your favourite RSS reader ? New articles and events will be popping up on a regular basis.

Its going to be an exciting first year - I hope you will join us for the ride.

Laura Bell
Director - in2securITy