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cmc <hello@cleberg.net> · 2025-05-31 03:57 UTC

feat(blog): add it-audit-career post

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	1	#+date: <2025-05-30 Fri 10:53:28>
	2	#+title: Future-Proof Your Audit Career: Emerging Technologies
	3	#+description: Practical steps for auditors looking to break into AI, blockchain, cloud, DevOps, and automation-focused assurance roles.
	4	#+filetags: :audit:
	5	#+slug: it-audit-career
	6
	7	* Introduction
	8
	9	As trends have shown, the auditing and assurance world is increasingly becoming
	10	overwhelmed with topics like [[https://kpmg.com/xx/en/what-we-do/services/ai/trusted-ai-framework.html][AI]], [[https://pcaobus.org/Documents/Audits-Involving-Cryptoassets-Spotlight.pdf][Digital Assets]], [[https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2023/building-trust-cloud-environments.html][Cloud]], [[https://kpmg.com/us/en/articles/2023/role-of-internal-audit-devops.html][DevOps]], and [[https://kpmg.com/ch/en/insights/technology/audit-transformation.html][Automation]].
	11
	12	While these trends are rapidly transforming businesses and industries, audit
	13	firms and departments are working hard to ensure they stay aligned with business
	14	objectives.
	15
	16	Throughout my career, I've seen topics like "AI" evolve from LLM-based projects
	17	used by data scientists to everyday tools accessible to the masses and integrated
	18	directly into business operations.
	19
	20	As an auditor, skills in emerging technologies are an invaluable asset that can
	21	translate into massive career opportunities and long-term job security.
	22
	23	I have experienced this firsthand as topics like automation, AI, cloud
	24	assurance, and DevOps have kept me in a secure position with significant potential
	25	for growth and learning.
	26
	27	In this post, I'm going to walk through the process of becoming skilled in an
	28	emerging technology and how to translate that into a rewarding audit career.
	29
	30	* Step 1: Build a Strong Foundation in Audit & Risk
	31
	32	To start, I want to note that learning about emerging technologies is only
	33	useful if you already have a base in auditing. You can't audit a cloud
	34	environment with cloud knowledge alone — you also need to understand the
	35	fundamentals of auditing.
	36
	37	If you find that you're highly technical already, focus your time on learning
	38	audit standards and guidance.
	39
	40	You can customize this to any frameworks applicable to your company or industry,
	41	but these are generally the baseline for an audit career:
	42
	43	- [[https://www.coso.org/Pages/default.aspx][COSO]]
	44	- [[https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework][NIST CSF]]
	45	- [[https://www.iso.org/isoiec-27001-information-security.html][ISO/IEC 27001]]
	46	- [[https://pcaobus.org/][PCAOB]]
	47	- [[https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/assurance][AICPA]]
	48
	49	The consistent theme throughout these frameworks is that audits rely on
	50	independent parties who provide consistent documentation, appropriate
	51	considerations of risks and responses, scoping, and reporting.
	52
	53	One of the easiest ways to get this knowledge is by doing. While it can be
	54	challenging, the concept is straightforward. If you are working in a role within
	55	a department like internal audit, external audit, risk, compliance, etc., focus
	56	on performing your role exceptionally and continuously challenge yourself to
	57	learn more about audit and risk each day you work.
	58
	59	* Step 2: Learn the Tech That's Changing the Profession
	60
	61	Getting to the point of this post, there's a wide range of technologies transforming the audit
	62	world. To accelerate career growth and discover a niche you enjoy, I've compiled
	63	a short list of topics that are currently (1) growing in demand, (2) have a need
	64	for more experts within the audit field, and (3) are expected to remain relevant.
	65
	66	- Automation & Data Analytics: Alteryx, Python, Power BI, Tableau
	67	- Cloud: AWS, Azure, GCP, IBM
	68	- Blockchain: Decentralization, smart contracts, chain of custody
	69	- DevOps: Azure DevOps, CI/CD, DevSecOps, GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins
	70	- AI/ML: AI in business, AI in auditing, AI assurance
	71
	72	#+BEGIN_QUOTE
	73	Pro Tip: Tackle one area at a time. You don't need to become an expert, but
	74	make sure you learn enough to conceptualize the technologies and logic behind
	75	the topics you're auditing.
	76
	77	If you focus on one at a time, you can dedicate time to that sole topic to
	78	understand it more deeply before moving on to the next.
	79	#+END_QUOTE
	80
	81	* Step 3: Earn Certifications That Signal Credibility
	82
	83	If you don't have much experience, or can't demonstrate your knowledge in a
	84	particular area due to job constraints or otherwise, you can utilize courses
	85	and certifications to boost your credibility. This is an effective way to
	86	establish credibility and demonstrate your qualifications.
	87
	88	- [[https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cisa][CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)]]: Core certification for IT
	89	auditors covering systems, controls, governance, and assurance.
	90	- [[https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/certifications/azure-fundamentals/][Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)]] / [[https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-cloud-practitioner/][AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner]]: Entry-level
	91	cloud certifications covering core cloud concepts, services, pricing, and
	92	security.
	93	- [[https://www.alteryx.com/certification/designer-core][Alteryx Designer Core Certification]]: Validates your ability to build data
	94	prep, blending, and analytics workflows in Alteryx.
	95	- [[https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/ibm-data-science][IBM Data Science Professional Certificate]] (via Coursera): Teaches data
	96	science fundamentals, Python, SQL, and AI basics; popular for aspiring data
	97	auditors and analysts.
	98	- Entry-level technical certifications:
	99	- [[https://pythoninstitute.org/pcep][PCEP (Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer) by Python Institute]]
	100	- [[https://www.edx.org/learn/artificial-intelligence][AI certifications on edX]] covering foundations, governance, and AI ethics.
	101	- [[https://www.blockchain-council.org/certifications/certified-blockchain-professional-expert/][Certified Blockchain Expert]]
	102
	103	I have earned the following certifications and have seen great responses
	104	throughout my career due to the credibility they provided in these focus areas:
	105
	106	- GitLab Certified Git Associate
	107	- GitHub Foundations
	108	- Alteryx Designer Core Certified
	109	- Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
	110	- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
	111	- Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer (PCEP)
	112	- Data Science Professional Certificate
	113	- Cybersecurity Audit Certificate
	114
	115	* Step 4: Join Emerging Tech Projects and Pilots
	116
	117	Once you have the knowledge and, if applicable, the credentials to showcase your
	118	skills, you need the chance to network and show what you can do.
	119
	120	To do this, I recommend joining a group focused on the topic you're passionate
	121	about. Normally, this is easiest within your own company. However, sometimes you
	122	may need to seek other opportunities in your community or online to find the
	123	project that works best for you.
	124
	125	- Seek opportunities internally: AI pilots, automation and data analysis
	126	projects, blockchain initiatives.
	127	- If they don't exist — propose them.
	128	- Suggest automating risk assessments, piloting AI tools, or testing continuous
	129	assurance routines.
	130
	131	Why this matters: These projects become resume differentiators and position
	132	you for leadership roles.
	133
	134	* Step 5: Build a Network of Tech-Savvy Auditors & Consultants
	135
	136	As a segue from Step 4, ensure that you have a network of like-minded
	137	individuals who can challenge you and expose you to new ideas. This helps keep
	138	you sharp and open to innovation. Some suggestions include:
	139
	140	- Join ISACA, local AI/ML meetups, blockchain working groups.
	141	- Engage with emerging tech communities on LinkedIn — share posts, comment on
	142	thought leadership, or publish insights.
	143
	144	* Step 6: Stay Curious and Keep Learning
	145
	146	Last, but not least, keep learning! While you may feel like you know everything,
	147	there's always more to explore. I enjoy revisiting known problems from different
	148	perspectives, as it's helped me grow and realize that alternative approaches
	149	often yield better results with experience.
	150
	151	- The landscape is changing rapidly — stay current on AI regulation, blockchain
	152	security, cloud assurance frameworks, or whatever interests you.
	153	- Subscribe to niche newsletters (e.g., The Cybersecurity 202, AI Ethics
	154	Weekly).
	155	- Take one course or certification per year to stay sharp.
	156
	157	* Closing
	158
	159	You don't need to be an engineer or software developer to thrive in technology —
	160	but you do need to understand enough to assess risk. With these steps, I have
	161	found a wonderful and fulfilling career, and I know you can too.
	162
	163	If you have any questions on how to break into tech risk and audit, feel free to
	164	reach out over email or anywhere else — I would love to connect and chat!

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 <section>
 	<h2>Recent Blog Posts</h2>
+	<div class="post">
+		<time datetime="2025-05-30 10:53:28">2025-05-30</time>
+		<a href="/blog/it-audit-career.html">Future-Proof Your Audit Career: Emerging Technologies</a>
+	</div>
 	<div class="post">
 		<time datetime="2025-05-02 Fri 21:10:00">2025-05-02</time>
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