Squad success stories

The ever-changing nature of cyber threats will ensure cyber security remains a top priority across all industries, future-proofing my career opportunities.

- Adam Hodges

Meet Adam

Adam is a 23-year veteran of the Royal Air Force where he specialised in logistics and learning development strategy and implementation.

After retiring from service in 2021, he secured a role as a Training Manager at Capita on the Defence Fire and Rescue Project.

Despite enjoying his new role, Adam was interested in pivoting his career from L&D to cyber security.

Adam's journey

When Capita partnered with WithYouWithMe in 2022, Adam received an email inviting him to sign up for Potential and complete his psychometric and aptitude testing.

After completing the testing, given his interest in cyber security, Adam decided to enter the cyber pathway which would ultimately take him 5 months to complete.

While in training, he attended a Job Accelerator event run by WithYouWithMe and their partner, Leonardo, a key player in aerospace, defence and security. After a successful interview, Adam was selected as a squad member, set to be deployed into Leonardo.

"The training experience was challenging at times but my desire to pivot to a career in cyber was the driver that helped me succeed."

Proven potential in cyber: How skills-based hiring drove Adam's success

Contractor to full-time employee

Early in February 2024, Adam Hodges, a veteran of the Royal Air Force, transitioned after 12 months as a WithYouWithMe contractor to a full-time Senior Cyber Security Consultant at Leonardo. The contract-to-permanent model provided Leonardo with a risk-free way to assess talent over an extended period, allowing Adam to demonstrate his capabilities while ensuring a strong fit for both parties. This model enabled Leonardo to see the quality of candidates firsthand and make informed hiring decisions with confidence. Now fully embedded in the company, Adam feels empowered and continues to add value in his role. His transition highlights how skills-based hiring can successfully integrate talent into critical roles while the contract-to- permanent model reduces the risk of committing to full-time employment before ensuring a candidate aligns with company culture and can prove their value.

Continuous learning and building skills for personal goals and business resilience

Adam has exceeded his and Leonardo’s expectations, contributing significantly to the company’s operations. He embraced additional responsibilities, becoming a SAFe Agile Scrum Master, which helped facilitate agile transformation within his project. His immersion in cyber security enabled him to quickly grasp its complex language and workflows. To further strengthen his expertise, Adam obtained the CompTIA Security+ certification, deepening his understanding of cyber security fundamentals. His curiosity and commitment to learning have directly enhanced Leonardo’s cyber security capabilities, demonstrating how upskilling benefits both individuals and businesses.

Looking ahead

Leonardo offers multiple pathways for career growth, both vertically and horizontally across various projects. While Adam remains fully engaged in his current role, he is open to utilising his leadership and management experience should the opportunity arise. His long-term goal is to continue demonstrating his expertise, ensuring he remains a valuable asset to the organisation. Adam encourages veterans considering a career in cyber security to take the leap, emphasising that breaking through initial barriers leads to rewarding opportunities. His journey showcases the success of skills-based hiring in unlocking hidden potential and fostering business resilience.

How Adam’s potential was predicted through WithYouWithMe’s Talent Assessments

At the heart of the WithYouWithMe (WYWM) Talent Assessments is the ‘Potential’ platform which takes candidates through a series of psychometric and aptitude assessments, designed to evaluate their natural abilities and cognitive strengths. These tests help to uncover hidden potential and identify which digital careers participants might excel at.

In 2023, Adam took these assessments, with the report highlighting several traits and aptitudes that contributed to his successful transition into cyber security.

Psychometric profile

Adam's high conscientiousness (99%) aligns well with his role in a structured and process-driven environment. This trait supports his ability to manage tasks effectively, which is crucial in cyber security where precision and reliability are key. His personality type based on the DISC personality test model, indicates a preference for formal structures and procedures, which matches well with Leonardo's need for consistency and stability in their operations.

Aptitude

Adam excelled in critical thinking and problem-solving, as indicated by his high performance in tests such as Abstract Reasoning and Digit Symbol Coding. These skills are essential in cyber security, where the ability to quickly identify patterns, solve problems, and adapt to new technologies is critical. His aptitude for abstract reasoning, which measures the ability to learn new concepts quickly, helped him grasp the complex language and workflows of cyber security.

Learning style

His logical learning style and focus on systematic approaches to problem-solving align with his role at Leonardo, where he embraced additional responsibilities like becoming a SAFe Agile Scrum Master. His ability to work through issues methodically is a key asset in both his core role and in the agile transformation he helped lead within his team.

Career matches

His testing also identified potential career matches for roles such as a Cyber Analyst and Malware Analyst, both of which align with his current work in cyber security. His ability to analyse and resolve issues quickly and effectively is mirrored in the critical thinking skills required for these roles.

Cyber: Linux Privilege Escalation thumbnail

In summary, Adam's testing results revealed a strong alignment with the skills and attributes needed for success in his current role at Leonardo having had no prior experience in the Cyber industry before being deployed into Leonardo. His conscientiousness, logical problem-solving, and aptitude for learning new technologies have all played a significant role in his career progression, showcasing the value of skills-based hiring in identifying and nurturing talent.

Reflecting on his experience, Adam said "I had no expectations of where the WithYouWithMe potential testing would lead me, and I had never considered a career in cyber security. But when my results pointed me in that direction, I decided to go along for the ride. That journey led to a career pivot I never anticipated—one that has been both rewarding and fulfilling. Thanks to WithYouWithMe, I discovered a path I wouldn’t have explored otherwise, and it has opened doors to incredible opportunities at Leonardo."

While assessing talent in this way is still a new concept in the HR market, first adopters like Leonardo are already reaping the benefits of this innovative approach.

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