Cybersecurity firm Socura aim to make the digital world a safer place – and are taking a Venture graduate on to support that mission.  

Socura is a managed detection and response cyber business changing the way organisations think about cyber security – serving customers across various industries including the NHS, investment, manufacturing, and the public sector.

When Socura relocated their headquarters to Cardiff, Cardiff Capital Region’s Venture Graduates seized the opportunity to connect Socura with Venture’s talented pool of skilled cyber graduates.

Embracing Southeast Wales’ Cyber Cluster

As one of Cardiff Capital Region’s priority clusters, cyber is a thriving and developing industry within Southeast Wales.

Andy Kays, CEO at Socura, shares his reasoning behind the move to Cardiff: 

“We relocated our headquarters to Wales, specifically my hometown of Cardiff, due to the exciting Cyber Ecosystem that had been built in the area and the great investment the Welsh Government was making in the industry – it felt like the natural place to be.”

Venture Graduates have a reputation of supporting cyber businesses – recognising how cyber graduates are enthusiastic to join the growing cyber ecosystem based in the region.

Socura’s newest Venture Graduate, Rhys Edward Jones, shares his excitement for joining the company in his new role as a Graduate Cyber Security Engineer:

“The most exciting aspect of my role lies in the opportunities to learn and enhance my skills as a security engineer. Socura has provided the necessary tools and space for me to develop my capabilities and learn from industry experts. This has allowed me to refine my technical skills within a professional environment, applying my foundational programming skills to a functional cloud security setting—a truly thrilling and enlightening experience.”

Guiding Graduate Development

More than ever, it’s vital to support and guide graduates in their early career to align their skillsets with the right organisation.

Rhys explains how Venture supported his journey to Socura: 

“For the first time in my job application process, I felt valued as a graduate – an experience that I believe many graduates might never encounter. Venture’s responsiveness to my application was prompt, considerate, and made me feel significant in an industry I hadn’t even joined yet.

“Their networking, both online and in-person, appears unparalleled in the industry, and, for me, it set them apart from the competition.”

Venture understands how essential it is to support graduates every step of the way – ensuring they are confident and reassured of their ability to succeed in the world of work.

Sharing Advice for Graduates

Andy highlights the top qualities he looks for in a candidate: 

“Attitude to learning is key and mutual respect for your colleagues. If you have those two qualities, you’ll go far.

“Having confidence means understanding what you can do and what you may be weak in. No one has all the answers, so accepting you may need help and feeling like you can ask for it demonstrates true confidence and understanding.”

Rhys adds: 

“I would encourage graduates not to lose hope, persist in their job applications, seek out a professional mentor, and don’t undervalue your skills. Despite graduating with a first-class honours degree in Cyber Security, I encountered significant challenges in interviews and job applications. While I am fortunate to have secured my role at Socura, it’s essential to acknowledge the numerous interviews with other organisations that preceded this opportunity.

“Make sure you consistently ask questions, actively engage with employers, and build professional networks. Improving my interpersonal skills has significantly contributed to my success in interviews. Interviews themselves are a skill that requires time and practice, so my mantra is to practice, practice, practice!”

Cardiff Capital Region’s Venture Graduates have matched over 200 skilled graduates to organisations across Southeast Wales – if your business is in need of new talent, contact the business team at [email protected] today.