Reasons to Study Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity has the fastest growth rate among all areas of IT, with the labour market encountering a severe workforce shortage in this field.
There are several reasons why you should consider studying Cybersecurity at NCI.
In today’s hyper-connected world, security is more critical than ever. Every day, cyber threats evolve, putting individuals, businesses, and even governments at risk. As more of our lives move online, the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals has skyrocketed, making it an exciting and rewarding field to pursue.
We've highlighted some reasons below why now is the perfect time to start developing a career in this exciting field.
Growing Need for Cybersecurity Experts
A recent study conducted by non-profit cybersecurity network (ISC)² found that Ireland needs 10,000 more cybersecurity workers to meet the rising demand for skilled professionals in this area, with an estimated skills shortage of more than 199,000 cybersecurity professionals across Europe. While the number of new entrants to the sector has grown annually, the demand continues to outpace the supply of talent.
Cyber Ireland, the national cybersecurity cluster that brings industry, academia and Government together to represent the Irish cyber ecosystem, further illustrates the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals in their Skills Report 2021. The research into the cybersecurity market trends shows that, of the organisations planning to hire, 82% will hire technical security staff with 50% planning to hire new graduates. This confirms that, not only is the industry looking for experienced recruits, but that there is an appetite to onboard new graduates and provide the required training..
Exciting Career Opportunities
The cybersecurity industry is filled with dynamic and impactful career paths. Whether you're drawn to ethical hacking, penetration testing, incident response, or risk management, there’s a wealth of areas to explore within cybersecurity. New challenges arise every day, from securing the Internet of Things (IoT) to safeguarding artificial intelligence systems and defending against ransomware attacks.
As the field continues to evolve, professionals with expertise in emerging areas of cybersecurity are in high demand. This growing need for skilled experts translates to abundant job opportunities in virtually every sector, from government agencies and healthcare institutions to tech companies and financial organisations.
While cybersecurity is a specialisation itself, you can fine tune your skills in a specific area and become an expert in that that space. Common roles include:
- Cybersecurity Analyst
- Cyber Architect
- Cybersecurity Consultant
- Penetration Tester
- Information Security Analyst
- Cloud Security Analyst
- Security Engineer
- Security Audit Analyst
- Threat Analyst
- Application Security Engineer
- Security Researcher
- DevSecOps Engineer
- Network Security Engineer
- Cyber Risk Consultant
- Cyber Compliance Analyst
Opportunity to Travel
The skills shortage and demand for cybersecurity professionals isn’t limited to Ireland; many countries across the globe are welcoming international workers in this field. The number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs grew by 350%, from 1 million positions in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021, according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
This is good news for those trained in the area as it means you can decide to live in another country and not worry about job security. Many international companies give their employees the chance to work abroad in other countries they have bases in which is a great way to make your CV stand out the next time you apply for a new role.
Cybersecurity Courses Available at NCI
National College of Ireland’s range of cybersecurity courses can help you develop world-class skills and detailed knowledge, allowing you to add value to your team and organisation or to build a bridge between your current career path and a new role in this growing sector.