What ASIS Benelux can do for your career

Networking is vital for a Security Risk Management professional. With a network you have the possibility to ask for professional advice, share thoughts on complex matters and, for example, get notified of new career opportunities. We all have our own obstacles to overcome to achieve our set goals, but you don’t have to overcome these alone. 

ASIS International Benelux chapter has many senior security professionals. They have already experienced a lot of these obstacles during their careers. By connecting with our experienced members and other students you can share ideas in a professional, friendly and supportive network. Student members can be assigned to an experienced professional for peer-to-peer contact. 

What can you expect?

The mentor will give the student the opportunity to make use of his experience and network. You can contact your mentor when you have any questions about a specific security domain or when you need a professional opinion about your thesis. This can contribute to your future goals and the building of your own network. 
Below you will find two stories of (ex)students. They give their opinion about the mentorship and explain what it meant for their career.

“A network of pure gold”

Tara Visscher, former student Avans Hogeschool & Radboud University, The Netherlands – Currently, she is the owner of VI-SEC Security Consultancy & Health and Safety Manager Eurovision Song Contest 2021: “Being introduced to experienced professionals and being mentored was great. I have learned so much! 

In college, they teach you the basics of what you need to know.  What they do not teach you is the experience, the ‘how it really works’, what kind of professional you can become.

I never thought that the professionals would be so open and helpful. Thanks to my ASIS network I became an intern at KPN (largest telecommunication company in The Netherlands) where I had the chance to learn from amazing supervisors every day. ASIS members helped me, wanted to teach me something new, something you do not learn in a classroom. They wanted to tell me about their experience. Even though I was young & not yet graduated, the ASIS members were interested in my opinion about security. Even as a student I was welcome.” 

“A real door opener”

Nick Chavanu, former student University of Antwerp, Belgium – now works as a HSE Consultant at Altran:

“The ASIS mentorship program has opened doors for me. During a study, you are learning a lot from the books, but with the student-mentorship program, you are meeting people with real life experience. 

The events and conversations with my mentor created a translation of the literature with the practice of the work field. Because of the student-mentorship program, I further enrolled in the ASIS network whereby I met new people and found an interesting internship. Through the conversations, I had with my mentor; I came to an interesting thesis subject. So far, the student-mentorship has added value to me. 

"ASIS gives you the opportunity, but you need to do the legwork yourself“

How to apply for a student-mentorship?

For more information on how to join the student-mentorship, click here

Student Talent Award

ASIS International Benelux chapter annually hosts the Security Talent Award. A competition in which students are encouraged to submit their security-themed thesis to an independent panel of experts. These experts will then create a shortlist containing three of the most promising submissions. The finalists will then receive an official invitation to our annual Fall Meeting by the ASIS International Benelux board. If you happen to be one of those, then you will be given the opportunity to present your thesis at our event. After all three presentations are finished, the experts will announce a winner.

May the best woman/man win!

The award ceremony will be attended by numerous senior professionals and the winner will find her-/himself on the website of the ASIS International Benelux chapter. This well-deserved exposure could kick-start your career! Furthermore, the winner will receive a substantial cash prize. More detailed information will follow.

Events 

All of our regular events are open for students to visit, participate, learn and share. We also host events especially for students and young professionals like yourself. During these events it is possible for you to meet new people at a similar stage in life. 

Young Professional guides

As a student who has never visited one of our (regular) events, you might have the expectation that it is difficult to connect with our senior members. Fear not: our senior members tend to be very open and willing to converse with students. However, we understand that it might still feel like a big hurdle to take.

To close this gap, we would like to introduce you to our Young Professionals. These young men and woman are there to guide you through your first events. In this way, you can enter our wonderful community completely carefree.