Watermark’s Vice President of Educational Services, Dr. Jennifer Hesterman, recently spoke to ASIS’s Security Management Magazine about the value and benefit of mentoring in the security industry.

“The security field is unique; it seems we never really retire, as this is more of a profession and calling than a job,” Dr. Hesterman, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, told the magazine. “As a result, there are four generations now represented in our workforce, with an age span of 55 years from new security professionals to the most seasoned. Although many see this as a challenge, it provides an incredible opportunity to tap vast knowledge, broad experiences, and a variety of technical and soft skill sets.”

The article cites a 2019 Olivet Nazarene University survey of 76 percent of 3,000 full-time employees in the United States. The survey noted that although employees considered mentors important, only 37 percent actually had one. “Mentoring is a powerful tool in leadership development, as it transfers knowledge and skills to the next generation of leaders,” Dr. Hesterman said. “We don’t want to get into a position down the road where we lack a robust pool of people to lead the security industry. Academia is facing this very challenge and hiring college presidents from the business sector, the military, and other realms. Not that an outside perspective isn’t refreshing and welcome, but mentoring efforts can help us build a large pool of tested, prepared, and willing security leaders for the many challenges on the horizon.”

To read the full article in ASIS’s Security Management Magazine, click here.

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