General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Law Boosts Cyber Security Jobs in India

According to data from Indeed, the world’s no. 1 job site, there has been an upsurge in job postings for cybersecurity roles by 150% between January 2017 and March 2018, along with a corresponding increase of 129% in job searches for the same in the same period. Between January 2017 and March 2018, there has also been a spike in the number of job postings for Data Protection roles, which have seen an increase of 143%, while the number of job searches for the same has risen by 188%.

The impending implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law in Europe has stimulated Indian companies to fortify their databases, leading to an upswing in the search for cybersecurity and privacy professionals. Further, the unprecedented increase in the number of cyber crimes in the country has also created a number of job opportunities for data protection and cybersecurity professionals. According to the Cybersecurity Jobs Report 2018-2021, cybercrime will more than triple the number of job openings over the next five years^<1>.

Given the Information Technology boom in Bengaluru, the city accounts for 36% of all cyber security related jobs in the country; leading by a considerable margin over Mumbai (17%), the NCR region (12%), Pune (9%) and Hyderabad (8%), which make up the top five destinations for work opportunities in the sector in India.

Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed India, said, “Globally, the increasing number of cyber crimes has made it imperative for companies to keep pace in hiring the right talent to combat them. Therefore, companies across the world are gearing up to ensure compliance to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ePrivacy requirements. While the larger technology giants are more or less equipped to comply, it is the mid-size and smaller firms that are seeking professionals to help them cope with the requirements the new laws entail.”

Indeed data also highlights a high level of interest in the field among the age group of 26-30 year olds. Interestingly people between the age group of 41-45-year-olds also show high levels of interest in these profiles, as compared to those between 31-35 years old. This indicates that young technology talent, as well as those with some experience in the industry, are seeking opportunities in the cybersecurity space.

Despite cyber security jobs having zero percent unemployment, there is a huge dearth of skilled professionals, who can understand the complexities of today’s interconnected world. Cyber security breaches and intricacies have touched all industries and sectors. Hence, it is vital for all organisations to increase their security systems and processes.