WHY DO WE NEED CYBER SECURITY EXPERTS?
You’ve seen movies and TV shows where tech-savvy criminals hack into government or business security systems. It’s not fiction — hackers regularly steal confidential information and data from governments and companies.
- There has been a 1000% increase in the number of attacks in just 18 months.
- UK internet users have lost £4.6 billion from online fraud and hacking.
- It's estimated that online crime will costs businesses £6 trillion over the next five years!
That's why employers are calling out for people with cyber security skills. And in the future they’ll be looking for even more — giving you lots of opportunities to play a vital role in the fight against cyber crime.
EXCITING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Regardless of the role you chose, you can be sure there are excellent opportunities. In 2017, the average Scottish salary in the tech industry was £51,200…more than double the Scottish average of £28,000.
There are more than 90,000 people employed in digital technology in Scotland, and around 1,500 of them are in cyber security. Scotland needs more cyber security experts, and you could be amongst those leading the way.
UK companies create and sell cyber security software and services worldwide, and this is growing by 15% a year. A career in cyber security could be your passport to success around the world.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A CYBER CRIME FIGHTING SUPERHERO?
The world of cyber security has career opportunities for people with a whole range of skills. Some of the technical jobs you could do include:
- penetration testing
- cyber incident response
- malware reverse engineering
- network monitoring and intrusion
- security architecture
There's also a need for a range of non-technical skills such as team working and collaboration, communication, problem solving and organisation. These skills could help you get jobs in a huge range of areas including law and regulations, digital forensics, project management or recruitment. People working in these roles all work together to win the fight against cyber crime.
GET YOUR CAREER OFF TO A GREAT START
A computing science qualification can be an advantage if you’re thinking about a career in cyber security, but it’s not essential. There are plenty of options and you’ll find career opportunities at a variety of levels including a range of digital apprenticeships. If you want to start exploring your options, there are lots of helpful sites where you can get more information about starting a career in cyber security, or just try some games and challenges to put the idea to the test.
