Mentor @ Work?

nebula105

Hey guys, so I've recently received the email from SANS inviting me to the Instructor Development Program.

What I'm most curious about is, has anyone done the Mentor @ Work programme?

How did it work out for you?

Were the discounts significant enough for the company?

Did you get paid to mentor?

Do you get any instructor training materials?

al88

Me and couple of friends received the email and and applied more than a year ago (courses were SEC401, SEC504 and MGT414). We still haven't heard back ever since .. i followed up multiple times and last one "unofficially" I've been told they paused the program for some regions and might cancel it (even though the automated email haven't stopped).. so don't get your hopes up.

Anyway, at work (if they host the training event) you will get two seats for 50% off. And yes, you get paid per head count, plus a marketing commission if you brought them yourself.

Please note that was a while back, this update was more than a year ago.. things change rapidly with the program.

NetworkNewb

al88 wrote: »

Me and couple of friends received the email and and applied more than a year ago (courses were SEC401, SEC504 and MGT414). We still haven't heard back ever since ..

It is amazing how bad SANS is with communicating to people. If someone isn't giving them money right then I'm assuming almost all emails go right in the trash.

TechGromit

There marketing certainly use an overhaul. If I took a GSEC course and Exam, why would you think I'm interested in taking it again. While this shotgun approach to marketing may be cheaper, It's far less effective than targeted marketing. I just delete anything SANS marketing related now without reading it.

cyberguypr

I got a good one. I registered for a work study once. There was a mixup and they gave my class to someone else. I still get invites to do SME work for that class/exam that I never took.

nebula105

Aw shucks, I was honestly excited to train up my colleagues.

Guess I'll just fire a query email to SANS and forget about it.

Thanks guys

TechGromit

al88 wrote: »

Me and couple of friends received the email and and applied more than a year ago (courses were SEC401, SEC504 and MGT414). We still haven't heard back ever since .. i followed up multiple times and last one "unofficially" I've been told they paused the program for some regions and might cancel it (even though the automated email haven't stopped).. so don't get your hopes up.

I have a feeling it's designed to greatly benefit SANS, if they need additional instructors, they may select you, but so long as they have sufficient instructors to meet there needs, they ignore you. If some time in the future they need an instructor or two, it's better to have a drawer full of candidates to pick from, then not.

Randy_Randerson

TechGromit wrote: »

I have a feeling it's designed to greatly benefit SANS, if they need additional instructors, they may select you, but so long as they have sufficient instructors to meet there needs, they ignore you. If some time in the future they need an instructor or two, it's better to have a drawer full of candidates to pick from, then not.

I think you are half right there. If you talk to the instructors, they want more teaching the material. Cuts down on their travel. Not to mention, many of them are R&D'ing for their courses as well. Look at the Forensics folks -- those people are non stop researching. Tie in constant travel, it wears you down.