Cybersecurity: The new technology era for upskilling professionals

Cybersecurity has become an increasingly important skill to possess in order to remain competitive in today's job market. Upskilling  professionals has proven to be a gamechanger for both tech and non-tech professionals. A Bengaluru-based edtech startup named Scaler has reported that over the last three years, working professionals who underwent upskilling witnessed a 126% increase in their salaries. 

Likewise, the KPMG assessment report also reveals that the average salary hike for cybersecurity professionals stands at 67.9%, with the promotion rate at 31.8% of the jobs they joined post-upskilling. It highlights the need for professionals across all major industries to upskill themselves at some point for better career opportunities. And the recent digitalization boom has expanded the bandwidth of upskilling professionals like never before. Cybersecurity is one of the most in-demand skills in the market. 

Cybersecurity professionals are responsible for protecting a company's computer networks from both internal and external threats. The looming danger of cyber attacks and fear of data theft has urged companies to recruit cybersecurity experts. It has become essential for startups and giant firms to keep monitoring their data.

Therefore, professionals who want to build their careers in the cybersecurity sector must give it a thought to learn new skills.

Why do Firms Need Cybersecurity Experts?

The COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to work remotely, making it easier for bad actors to carry out cyberattacks. Trend Micro researchers said more than 90% of cyber attacks start as phishing emails or calls. Organizations, regardless of their size, are vulnerable to cyber attacks like phishing and ransomware. 

Security threats grew 31% between 2020 and 2021, according to Accenture's "State of Cybersecurity Resilience 2021" report. The 2021 World Economic Forum report on global cybersecurity risks also confirmed the need for businesses and governments to update their cybersecurity systems continuously. The report highlighted the growing sophistication of cybercriminals, obsoleting all outdated security measures. 

Another report released by IBM titled "Cost of a Data Breach 2021" stated that it takes an average of 287 days for the security team to identify and contain a data breach. This refers to the amount of time and money that businesses must spend in order to compromise their critical data. To avoid such data losses, firms need experts to monitor such cyber criminals.

In other words, most businesses today need an efficient cybersecurity team to secure their digital infrastructure. Companies need cybersecurity experts in the backend to monitor their digital assets and constantly secure server data. Thus, with the increase in data theft and other cyberattacks, demand for cybersecurity experts is also exponentially rising.

Upskilling Professionals

The digital infrastructure these days has become quite vulnerable to cyber threats. Everyone needs the support of cyber analysts, from governments and firms to banking and the energy sector. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), there is a cybersecurity workforce gap of nearly 3 million positions. There is an urgent need to fill this gap. You can take advantage of the skill gap by upskilling yourself. 

Professional cybersecurity certification programs are designed specifically for both tech and non-tech professionals. These are programs that qualify you to work in the field of cybersecurity. They are usually industry-specific and have a set time limit for completion. There are many different types of these certificates, but they all have similar requirements related to cybersecurity.

Upskilling professionals with cybersecurity courses is an advantage for both professionals and organizations. This benefits professionals by increasing their salaries, improving their lives, and broadening their knowledge and expertise.  With the assistance of such experts, firms are advantaged by securing their networks and data from future cyber threats.

To become a cybersecurity expert, professionals need to learn various skills like ethical hacking, cloud security, penetration testing, among others. For example, experts can secure a company's data and assets using AI-enabled machines to understand network behavior. Similarly, in order to perform all the security-related tasks, professionals must learn the fundamentals of programming languages. Businesses have joined the IoT bandwagon, which needs cyber experts to prevent future cyber attacks. Professionals can enroll in a course that interests them the most to get their hands on the relevant skills .

The Perks of Becoming a Cyber Expert

Opting for cybersecurity as a career is the most prudent decision for any professional. In the 21st century, cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing careers. As a result, the demand for cybersecurity analysts is increasing rapidly. For instance, after a major data breach was reported at Volkswagen, there was a sharp increase in demand for people with expertise in cybersecurity to work as analysts and auditors in automobile manufacturing companies.

Cybersecurity is a hot topic today. Indeed, the number of cyberattacks has been on the rise and has become a serious threat to organizations worldwide. To stand out, professionals in this field must be certified in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is a fast-growing profession. The latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that the median annual wage for information security analysts was $102,600 in May 2021.

One additional advantage of choosing a career in cybersecurity is the ability to work remotely, if your role primarily relies on server-based operations. All you will need is a laptop and a strong internet connection. Learning is a never-ending process for cyber experts. As a professional, you must also stay current on emerging technology for combating cybercrime. Besides helping you stand out, keeping yourself updated with industry news will also broaden your knowledge.

Final Words

The cybercrime threat has grown globally and requires expertise from professionals who are trained in handling these threats. As a result, it is imperative that professionals enroll in cybersecurity upskilling courses in order to capitalize on this lucrative opportunity. The new tech era is highly vulnerable to cyber threats. The average cost of downtime for data loss for businesses of all sizes is nearly $4,500/minute. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) report shows that 40% of small businesses never reopen after a data loss.

No industry is ready to compromise with its valuable data. As cybersecurity threats  continue to increase, the industry will need more defenders. You can also upskill yourself to become a part of this booming job market. 

The article has been written by Rahul Kashyap, Co-founder, Skillslash