Last week’s first ever CyberNorth Community Conference, part of CyberFest was a bitter sweet affair for me. Having led the North East’s biggest cyber security festival for 6 years, it felt a little odd to be taking more of a back seat. I am reminded of that old joke about bacon and eggs, where the chicken is involved but the pig is committed. This year I was much more of the chicken.
I’ll come back to the Community Conference in a while and will start with the rest of the festival. Each year we say we should aim for fewer events, partly to ease our load but also to make sure there is enough of an audience to cover them. In the end we have had over twenty events, the biggest ever with some great attendances.
Who knows what we will get up to next year. Though our minds are racing and the cogs are whirring, this year will be my last with any direct involvement. I hope to still take part in some form or another, what remains to be seen. That’s the bitter bit.
Back to the Community Conference which was one of the most amazing events that I have ever been to. The Common Room in Newcastle, the historical home of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers since 1872, provided the inspirational setting for the event. It felt so different from anything we have done before, focussing on the community rather than the technology. When I walked into the wood panelled lecture theatre I could feel the excitement in the packed audience.
From the start to the end, the event flowed perfectly, with notable sessions on the work of other UK clusters and the opportunities from trading overseas. My workshops on supporting innovation and the role of the cyber security sector in achieving net zero were well supported. I got to speak to many colleagues and form some new friendships. These were the sweet bits.
So that’s it then. I know thoughts have already turned to CyberFest 25 and the omens look good for another successful series but next time I will be a passenger rather than crew. It’s a strange feeling, bitter and sweet.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 