COVID-19 changed the way organizations work fundamentally. The new normal for the majority of the working professionals became work-from-home. Industries across the world started leveraging technology and the internet for running entire operations remotely. However, with an increase in information, data, and systems coming online, data breaches and cyber attacks surged as well. Cybercriminals have started breaching the information security of big corporations with new and advanced technologies. In such a scenario, the demand and need for cybersecurity professionals have increased immensely.
One can catapult their career by undergoing a credible cybersecurity course. According to statistics, the cybersecurity industry stood at more than $155 billion valuations in 2020. It is expected to grow at an immense rate and reach a whopping $350 billion valuation in 2026. Hence, if you are still on the fence about starting your career in cybersecurity, then these figures will make you think otherwise. Read more to know about cybersecurity and why it is worth pursuing in today’s age.
What is Cybersecurity?
Before we dive into the reasons for pursuing cybersecurity as a career, it is vital to know what it actually means. In simple terms, cybersecurity is the practice of protecting the information available online from malicious hackers. It is the process of defending computers, mobile devices, servers, networks, electronic systems from an unauthorized breach. Hence, it is also known as electronic information security or information technology security. It involves various professionals such as data security engineers, pen testers, security professionals, ethical hackers, etc. Cybersecurity is needed across all industries ranging from governmental organizations to financial institutions.
Why is it the Best Time To Make A Career in Cybersecurity?
If you are enrolling for a cybersecurity course online, the thought of your career growth may come to your mind. With the pandemic, the scope of cybersecurity has increased massively. Now, there is no such organization that is not looking to build stringent security measures. Here are some reasons why building a career in cybersecurity is worthwhile in this digital era.
Massive Demand
The demand for cybersecurity professionals is increasing massively. According to a survey, the workforce in cybersecurity needs to grow by a massive 62% in order to meet the demands across all the industries. Moreover, professionals are required in various security niches such as security architects, security consultants, and chief security officers, etc. Due to the pandemic, organizations are placing a higher focus on employing security personnel and training other staff as well. Hence, the demand for security professionals will be there for a long time and will only rise in the future.
Attractive Job Titles
Apart from the massive demand, the job titles in cybersecurity are diverse and attractive. Some of the standard designations for cybersecurity professionals in organizations are network security engineers, ethical hackers, security architects, cybersecurity analysts, malware analysts, cloud security engineers, cryptographers, cybersecurity engineers, and security auditors, etc. However, for all these designations, a professional needs to have sound technical skills. Many cybersecurity courses equip individuals with all the requisite knowledge and practical exposure for making them seasoned professionals. Hence, if you are pursuing cybersecurity, then you may need to put in the hard work, but that will be fruitful in terms of compensation and job title.
Job Security
There is no denying the fact that once a professional becomes integral to a company’s security infrastructure, then they become indispensable. Moreover, data breaches, cyber-attacks, and hacking are not going to end anytime soon. In fact, we are only going to see a steep rise in the number of cybersecurity cases over time. Hence, cybersecurity and ethical hacking professionals will never go out of work. You may not work with the same organization for all your work life. But the field is promising in terms of opportunities. Therefore, if you are afraid of wasting your monetary investment in a cybersecurity course, then don’t be and focus on your skills.
Evolving Field
Cybersecurity is an evolving field, with new technologies coming every day. A security professional has to keep up with industry trends and, most importantly, with new strategies and tactics the malicious attackers use. It is a challenging field. Hence, if you are someone who craves creativity and challenges, then it is for you. Moreover, the compensation for cybersecurity professionals is higher than the industry standard for other IT professionals. Because of its demanding nature, the field is respected around the world. Hence, cybersecurity is an evolving field in terms of technology, tactics, compensation, titles, and scope.
Conclusion
As per the EC council, the next decade is going to be a golden period for all cybersecurity professionals. Therefore, if you are an aspiring security professional, then you should put all the doubts for your career growth to rest for now. Just focus on building up your skills and knowledge; career growth will follow.