From systems admin to security leader

The transformation? A five-day CISM Boot Camp from Infosec Institute that gave him the frameworks to turn years of technical experience into leadership credibility. 

“Before the training, I knew DLP was a good thing that we should have. It knew it would help with exfiltration, but I couldn't intelligently tell you why it's good,” Mohammed reflects. "But after taking the CISM certification, I was able to give leadership an honest, confident answer backed by structured reasoning." 

The challenge: Technical skills without management confidence 

Mohammed's nine-year IT journey took him from help desk analyst to systems administrator before landing his current cybersecurity analyst role at Enveda. Each position built his technical foundation, but a critical gap remained: communicating security value to business stakeholders. 

"A lot of the skills that I picked up were just me poking and prodding and seeing what works, what doesn't?" Mohammed explains. This experimental approach served him tactically, but he needed something more substantial to reach his director-level aspirations. 

The CISM certification aligned perfectly with his philosophy about cybersecurity's role in business success. “My philosophy and the philosophy of the CISM is that business needs come first, and then cybersecurity helps supplement the growth and vision of the organization,” he says. “If the business does well, we do well.” 

The solution: Expert-led training during life's chaos 

Mohammed's decision to pursue CISM training came at an unexpected time — his son was just weeks old. Initially overwhelmed by the prospect of five intensive days of training, he considered postponing. But his wife encouraged him to try the first day. 

What he discovered was that the instruction seemed designed around his circumstances. "The instructor’s timing and pacing of how she conducted the class worked perfectly with my son's feeding schedule," he says. 

Mohammed chose Infosec for their comprehensive materials and the Exam Pass Guarantee, but it was the instructor’s expertise that became the real differentiator. "I didn't realize that the boot camp instructor I had is very well-renowned in her field," Mohammed says. "The perspectives she provided and how to approach not only the exam, but also just day-to-day activities really helped me change some of my mindset." 

The training brought "all those years of knowledge under one funnel, one roof," he says. The live instruction went beyond exam preparation, helping Mohammed organize his disparate experiences into a coherent framework for security management. 

The results: Immediate business impact and team growth 

Mohammed's transformation became evident immediately upon returning to work. His DLP implementation success was just the beginning. The system later detected actual data exfiltration attempts, validating his recommendation and strengthening his credibility with leadership. His supervisor provided positive feedback about the knowledge and perspectives Mohammed brought from the boot camp. 

"The Infosec CISM Boot Camp gave me the ability to intelligently explain why I'm making a decision," Mohammed explains. "I was able to give them honest, confident answers as a result." 

Mohammed's positive experience created ripple effects throughout his organization. He recommended that a colleague pursue Security+ certification through Infosec. The colleague successfully passed the exam and credited the training resources for his quick success.

The transformation: From tactician to strategic leader 

Months after training, Mohammed remained surprised by his retention levels. "Because of the instructor's way of presenting information and how Infosec provided so many resources, I felt like I was able to retain a lot of what I had learned." 

More importantly, he's already applying CISM principles and seeing career advancement opportunities emerge. "The Infosec team helped solidify the foundations that I had," Mohammed reflects. "Ultimately, the C-suite is happy and they know, 'Hey, here's a person that we can rely on.'" 

For professionals considering similar paths, Mohammed emphasizes embracing continuous learning and being a generalist in today's interconnected security environment. "Cybersecurity is a field where you're constantly learning something new because there's always a new vulnerability that pops up." 

Your path to security leadership starts here 

Mohammed's journey from systems administrator to confident security leader showcases how expert-led training can accelerate both cybersecurity upskilling and the confidence necessary for management roles. Investing in structured CISM training provides more than certification preparation — it delivers the frameworks and communication skills essential for management-level effectiveness. 

"I would definitely do it again," Mohammed concludes. "I've done trainings in the past with other vendors, and they can definitely learn a thing or two from Infosec.” 

Ready to find your professional voice in cybersecurity management? Discover how Infosec's CISM Boot Camp can transform your technical expertise into executive-level credibility.