UK Career Advice: Cybersecurity Career Pathway 2023

• In Career Advice
• 21 Dec 2022, 05:59 AM
• By Technologist Confidant

Businesses in the United Kingdom are turning digital, requiring information security expertise to protect their data. As a result, there is a huge demand for cybersecurity experts in the area. However, when it comes to cybersecurity professionals, there is significantly more demand than supply. According to Robert Herjavec, the CEO and Founder of Herjavec Group, "There is a zero per cent unemployment rate in cybersecurity, and the opportunities in this field are endless".

UK cities, including London, are booming as a result of the inclusion of new digital businesses and innovations, as well as the fact that it is the global finance capital, making it more exposed to cyber threats, requiring the need for additional professional competence. These cybersecurity jobs are expected to rise in demand and pay high salaries and above the market reward packages.

Demand for cybersecurity skills in the UK

There are several compelling reasons to pursue a career in cybersecurity in the UK. The UK needs more cybersecurity experts because a lack of quality human resources has already hugely contributed to the existing lack of proper response planning and thus making cyberspace extremely vulnerable in the UK. For example, the UK's cybersecurity recruitment pool is 10,000 individuals short each year.

It has been argued that the UK’s education system can help, but not quickly –it takes about ten years of real-world experience to develop the skills needed to combat today’s threats. For instance, £800,000 was lost in the UK since January 2020 alone via phishing scams and expected that cybercrime will cost the world $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Policymakers named this skill gap a national crisis.

Cybersecurity jobs in the UK

In the realm of cyber security, there are numerous work opportunities. To name a few, from entry-level to senior-level positions, here are some critical positions in this domain of work.

• Security service engineer
• Security engineer
• Information security officer
• Network security engineer
• Cybersecurity analyst
• Network engineer
• SOC analyst
• Cloud security consultant
• Ethical Hacker
• Cybersecurity engineer
• Cybersecurity manager
• Cybersecurity consultant
• Security architect

Essential technical skills you need to work in the cybersecurity sector.

Working in cybersecurity necessitates a wide range of specialised abilities. The top technical skill sets are listed below.

• Security Incident Handling & Response
• SIEM Management
• Audit & Compliance
• Analytics & Intelligence
• Firewall/IDS/IPS Skills
• Intrusion Detection
• Application Security Development
• Advanced Malware Prevention
• Data Management Protection
• Digital Forensics
• Identity & Access Management

Essential non-technical skills you need to work in the cybersecurity sector.

Some of the essential soft or non-technical skills required in the domain of cybersecurity are as follows:

• A desire to delve into technical issues and investigate them from all angles
• Enthusiasm and a high level of adaptability are required.
• Strong diagnostic and analytical abilities; employers demand strong analytical and problem-solving skills to detect and assess risks, hazards, patterns, and trends.
• To effectively engage with management and customers, employees must have excellent presentation and communication abilities.
• Ability to communicate complicated ideas succinctly (both written and verbally)
• To manage various tasks and meet deadlines, employees need time management and organisational skills.
• Excellent IT expertise, covering computer networks, operating systems, software, hardware, and security.

Many employers often require certifications as a condition of employment. A degree and qualifications were often a crucial determinant in employment, according to the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)². The following are some of the certificates that could be useful:

• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
• Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
• Certified Information Security Auditor (CISA)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Information Systems Security Architecture Professional (CISSP-ISSAP)
• Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (CISSP-ISSEP)
• Information Systems Security Management Professional (CISSP-ISSMP)

Cyber security is a rapidly expanding area with a high need for cyber security professionals. People with the right combination of talents, knowledge, and experience have good career chances, and larger companies and financial services firms are likely to offer more opportunities for advancement.