How to Start a Career in Cybersecurity?

Every organisation, big or small, deals with enormous volumes of data. Data has tremendous potential and is one of the most important parts of business. 

Data, combined with artificial intelligence, helps to gain invaluable business insights, locate patterns or trends, losses and profits, learn about the performance of their services or products etc. Such data is key to making business decisions and a breach on that means serious threat and major losses

With cyber crimes at an all-time high, organisations give great emphasis on cyber safety and backing up valuable data on encrypted databases. Interested in a career in cybersecurity? 

Let’s take look at some Cybersecurity jobs and how to get started in this field. 

The first is the operations and leadership area and the other is technical, or engineering.

I. Operations and leadership field

Operations is one of the many areas which need security officers with a thorough knowledge of information technology systems, advanced cyber crimes and security measures, strong leadership qualities, and great communication skills. There are an array of work profiles for information security experts with relevant schooling and experience in the field. Some prominent Cybersecurity jobs in this domain are:

• security auditor
• cybersecurity specialist 
• cybersecurity analyst 
• network administrator 
• cybersecurity architect 
• information security analyst 
• chief information security officer 
• global information security officer

II. Engineering Field

Careers in Cybersecurity are diverse so other than operations and leadership, one can also take the path of engineering for cybersecurity expertise. This career option is ideal for people with engineering experience and have the know-how of building secure systems and network bases for keeping checks on potential threats. 

Most information security engineers work as cybersecurity architects, cybersecurity engineers, or as software security engineers.

Cybersecurity as a career in Canada

The landscape of Cybersecurity in Canada is thriving as businesses are on the lookout for specialist in this field. This is not surprising given that cybercrimes are on the rise in the country with 78% of Canadian companies getting affected in an year as per 2020 Cyberthreat Defense Report (CDR) report.

Around 70% organisations in the country suffered from ransomware attack and all this despite 11.1% of IT budget being spent on Cybersecurity. Recent technological changes have pushed Canadian organizations to put more priority on Cybersecurity leading to a boost in hiring Cybersecurity experts.

1. Education

Earn a degree in cybersecurity by following a career path that will help you gain all the necessary skills and keep your knowledge updated. Usually, a degree in information security and some experience in the same area is greatly beneficial with more diverse opportunities at your disposal.

To become a cybersecurity officer take up your undergraduate degree in fields like computer science, information technology, information system etc. 

If you wish to study further you can also choose to do a master’s degree to expand the career opportunities and boost one’s appeal before hiring managers to work on higher roles at work.

2. Get yourself certified

For landing your dream job in cyber-security, consider earning a certification to highlight your determination and your willingness to learn. There are an array of certifications that will enable you to gain expertise and knowledge on subjects such as—CEH, or Certified ethical hacker, CISM, or certified Information-security manager, and many more. There are also several certifications that are vendor-specific and therefore attractive to many employers. A certification adds weightage to your application by establishing trust. Cybersecurity salary range also differs and an accredited education qualification certainly helps in this scenario.

3. Networking

Networking is beneficial in every industry. To build strong networks you should expose yourself to different people through different activities. Sometimes it can be through volunteering with a cybersecurity organisation to enrich your knowledge, and also establish professional connections in the industry. 

Alternatively, you can also join your local cyber- security organisation, available today in many different cities. Through these organisations you will spread more awareness about cybercrimes and safety advice. The time is ideal for choosing a career in this field as there is an abundance of work opportunities in diverse roles. 

Are you looking for excellent cyber- security programs? Check out the Cybercrime and Security Analyst in Practicum course offered by The Canadian College of Technology and Business. This co-op program is designed specifically for professionals to up their skills in cybersecurity.

CCTB encourages interactive and diverse classrooms to enhance the learning experience for students. 50% of co-op student placements have been successful.

Learn more about the other courses offered by CCTB here.