Ben Hosie has gone from setting up Inverness Caley Thistle attacks to stopping cyber attacks as an IT specialist.
The sFG Software product manager spent a decade in the club’s academy before a further five years abroad playing football.
However, upon his return home, he decided it was time for a career change.
Ben has spent the past five years of his career with sFG, an Inverness software firm.
It provides IT support, wifi and setup services to more than 100 local businesses – a number which product manager Ben Hosie says is growing every month.
The Beechwood Business Park business also offers its own software development products.
Swapping ICT for IT
Ben moved up to Inverness when he was just three years old and has spent the majority of his time in Drumnadrochit.
It wasn’t always his dream to be part of the IT industry, spending 10 years as an academy player for Inverness Caley Thistle.
Ben said: “I played with the club until I was about 19 and ended up going to America to play football there.
“I spent four years there and another in Canada before coming home with a qualification in physical education.
“Once I was home I realised I had no interest in doing anything PE-related and instead took a job in a call centre.
“After a couple of roles I found myself in an IT and software company based in the Highlands.”
Ben’s career path didn’t end there however, as he turned up to work one day to find out the company had gone into administration.
“I showed up at the office in the morning and was basically told I no longer have a job.
“As I was made redundant, I couldn’t work for a month. The first two weeks were great, it was like a holiday.
“Then I started to panic as I had nothing lined up. I emailed 50-60 businesses with my skills and the response was brilliant.
“The sFG managing director, David, got back to me and said although they didn’t have a job for me, why don’t I come and have a chat.
“About a week later he phoned me to tell me he’d create a role for me if I wanted to go and work with him.”
How sFG Software helps Highland businesses deal with cyber attacks
Ben said although the dark web is not something he comes across in the business world, cyber attacks are “more common than most think”.
sFG, which was founded by David Garvie and Robert Murray 15 years ago, will monitor any risks for its clients.
Ben said: “There is never really a 100% guaranteed way of stopping every attack and motive out there.
“The best solution is to have someone like ourselves who make sure the right systems are in place and are as resilient as possible.
“We also make sure employees are clued up and using the best practices.”
“In an instance that it happens, companies like ourselves are best placed to make sure any potential loss is kept to a minimum.”
Ben said businesses are fazed with far more than just cyber attacks, which is what makes IT support so “crucial”.
He added: “We work with such a variety of businesses across the region and have a good understanding of what challenges businesses in each area have.
“Every company will go at problems from a different angle but we’re really focused on making sure we supply reliable customer service.”
Recruitment issues
Ben said sFG has faced several challenges – including a Covid transition – but none bigger than recruitment in the Highlands.
The Inverness company has 15 employees but has only managed to fill its spots through “pure chance”.
Ben said: “Recruitment is always a challenge for Highland businesses, especially in our industry.
“The Highlands hasn’t got a huge pool of talent in the tech and IT world and when it does those people tend to leave to the bigger cities.
“We also have to compete with so many remote roles.
“Firms from the likes of Manchester and London are able to offer a higher wage to people who can work from their Highland homes.
“I can’t say it has been anymore than pure chance and luck that we’ve secured the people we have.
“Occasion after occasion people have been moving up here literally the week we post the job.
“Our workforce probable has well over 100 years of experience in the industry between them.”
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