Here, we will answer the question: is online cyber security training worth it?
With growing concerns about the increasing cyber threats confronting organizations, government agencies, and individuals, numerous colleges and universities have established new degree programs in cybersecurity.
Whereas most of these programs were in their early stages, others were deliberately crafted with input from field professionals and local and national stakeholders. The training from cybersecurity experts helps attendees develop continuous improvement skills and the ability to overcome opponents from both conceptual and strategic standpoints.
Nowadays, these employers are often seeking an amalgamation of education and experience. However, a master’s degree is not required for all jobs. The benefits of accruing a master’s degree in cybersecurity involve better salaries, job stability, and expanded professional opportunities, according to Tripwire.com.Â
Nevertheless, not all cybersecurity learning is equal, so it is crucial to be particularly selective when choosing a degree program. However, online cyber security training from a certified institute would help attain a bright future.
Now, we will explore whether online cyber security training is worth it in a more elaborate way.
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Table of Contents
Is Online Cyber Security Training Worth It?
Below are some actual circumstances of what taking up cybersecurity training makes sense.Â
Having a cybersecurity degree is most equivalent to job security
If there’s ever an opportunity to initiate the field of cybersecurity, now is the time. With the regularity and complexity of cyber threats rising, the supply of cybersecurity experts would far outstrip demand. It implies that job prospects are relatively secure for qualified cybersecurity professionals.
As per Forbes, there will be 1.8 million cybersecurity job openings by 2022. Varonis predicts there will be 3.5 million job vacancies worldwide by 2021.
“The cybersecurity employment market is exploding.” Indigo Partners’ chairman and senior leadership information security recruiter, Veronica Mollica, notified Forbes.com.”
Our applicants receive multiple offers from various companies, with wage increases averaging nearly 30%.” Current employers are competing to stay competitive, offering counteroffers such as 10% salary increases to data security group members to retain them on the platform.
Earns high salaries in the global market
Due to a severe lack of skilled cybersecurity experts is one of the highest-paid tech industries, with a remuneration premium of 9% over IT job positions overall.
- According to Ziprecruiter.com, the average annual salary for an entry-level Cyber Security Consultant is $82,565 per year.
- According to Payscale.com, the median wage for a Cybersecurity Engineer is $96,478.
- According to Indeed.com, the median income for an IT Security Professional is $96,152.
- The average annual income for cybersecurity jobs in the United States is $94,716, as per Ziprecruiter.com.
- As you advance in the growth of information security professionals, for instance, to Chief Security Officer (CSO) or Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), your potential earnings increase significantly.
- In San Francisco, the top CISO salary is $380,000 as per Forbes.com.
- The average salary for CISOs and CISO equivalents in the U. S. is $273,033 as per the SecurityCurrent.com.
- The median basic pay for a Chief Information Security Officer in the United States is $217,768, as per www.salary.com.
To summarise, the cybersecurity employment prospects are excellent salaries and significant growth in the market. However, to secure the best cybersecurity jobs only with top firms, you must have a diploma, and in cybersecurity, the higher the degree, the brighter the prospects.
Advanced Cybersecurity Investing Education is self-sustaining
Enrollment for a postgraduate program varies by school; however, the overall cost of a cybersecurity diploma typically ranges between $20,000 and $70,000.
While it is a considerable investment, the payoff demonstrates that it is worthwhile. “If any college student questioned me about what profession would guarantee 30 years of consistent, well-paying jobs, I could well react, ‘cybersecurity,'” said Alec Ross, top consultant for advancement at the State Department, to the Washington Times.
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Opportunities for cybersecurity experts are growing faster than in other industries
Is online cyber security training worth it? As per the Bureau Of Labor Statistics, the job market for cybersecurity professionals has increased by 31%. The BLS is described as “much quicker than (the) average” for many other occupations.
Although there are many possibilities and available jobs in cybersecurity, the educational qualification required to land such jobs could be substantial.
CyberSeek reported that a bachelor’s degree was required or preferred by 25% of employers hiring for a data security architect position. However, there are numerous possibilities for those with the necessary experience and education, with job vacancies available in almost every state and across every industry, both private and public.
A master’s program is often favored or needed for higher-level positions.Â
So, here are the most prevalent cybersecurity job vacancies and career opportunities.Â
Let’s take a closer look:
- Cybersecurity Analyst: This role may be filled by an information security professional, an IT security consultant, or a senior security analyst. A cybersecurity analyst develops and implements measures to safeguard a firm’s computer systems and networks. You could also contribute to developing a disaster recovery plan, which the IT department will implement in the event of an infringement or safety emergency.
- Security auditors collaborate with businesses and organizations to provide detailed audits of web security systems, which typically offer a comprehensive description of legacy infrastructure, assessments of whether processes are running efficiently, and recommendations for procedure and infrastructure upgrades.
- Cybersecurity Specialist: This role, also known as an information (I.T.) security specialist or network security expert, is critical to the safety of businesses and other organizations’ data systems.
- Cybersecurity Architect: The duties of this frequently senior-level position include planning, designing, testing, implementing, and maintaining an organization’s computer network security facilities.
- Cybersecurity Consultants: As well recognized as security experts, security professionals, physical security specialists, and employee security specialists, such consultants seem to be contract employees hired by businesses of all sizes to protect their systems, connections, and critical assets.
- Network Administrator: One of the top ten tech jobs for 2020, this position’s duties involve system security, ordering network infrastructure, customizing network services, and network debugging.
- Penetration Tester: This role involves identifying security flaws in software and systems.
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Flexible Cybersecurity Training Programs
Working adults require a lot of flexibility. The ability to earn a diploma while working a full-time job and caring for a family has also been demonstrated to be a chosen profession game-changer for so many cybersecurity experts.
Many universities and colleges now offer online options, including hybrid programs and entirely online degree courses. Regarding flexibility, online learning offers significant benefits for students, including access to better security programs, faculty members, and academic institutions regardless of location, the ability to pay very little for materials, and the opportunity to interact with students from all over the country and the world.
Explore the basic skills such as management and leadership
The additional management and leadership training you would then obtain is among the most significant advantages of earning a master’s degree in information security. These companies’ abilities aren’t taught as part of most innovative undergraduate programs. To progress in the field and secure high-ranking leadership roles, you must possess the required qualities, such as relevant business experience.Â
Possibilities for Networking Abound in Cybersecurity Degree Courses
Networking appears to be essential for everyone seeking to maximize the benefits of their master’s degree. Since the graduate program attracts communities of people with similar interests in specific fields, such as cybersecurity, it is an ideal setting for networking with peer groups, alumni, and lecturers.
Graduate school ties could be highly beneficial not just when you are accomplishing your degree, besides providing additional knowledge, depth of understanding, and range of views, but also after graduation as users take a gander to initiate or improve your skills.Â
Furthermore, the University of San Diego’s online diploma program is designed to maximize interaction with senior faculty specialists and fellow cybersecurity experts nationwide. It is an excellent ability to engage with and gain knowledge from peer groups from across all industries of the cyber environment.
Financial rewards available to cybersecurity trainees
Because cybercrime experts are in high demand in the government and industry, various monetary incentives are being offered to those who wish to pursue a cybersecurity diploma. The Center for Cyber Training and Safety awards benefits to all those entering the industry. Women in cybersecurity can apply for various scholarship opportunities.
The United States government funds two significant scholarship programs: the Information Assurance Scholarship Program (IASP) and the National Science Foundation Scholarship for Service (SFS).
In addition, Yellow Ribbon schools, like the University of San Diego, provide veterans financial assistance through annual scholarships paired dollar for dollar by V.A. In U.S. dollars, that equates to about $17,000 per year.Â
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Cybersecurity Provides Diverse and Fascinating Opportunities
Some cybersecurity experts, for instance, are focusing on using innovative approaches to target the processes they are trying to defend, in order to identify security flaws that attackers might exploit.Â
There’s an increasing number of so-called bounty programs wherein talented white-hat attackers collaborate to interrupt unauthorized and dangerous attempts besides identifying and repairing flaws in information security defense systems.
A cybersecurity supervisor at global defense, managerial staff, and information systems consultancy firm Booz Allen Hamilton discusses setting a phony purposefully susceptible system. It serves as a “digital mousetrap” to entice cyber opponents, who start taking the lures and expose crucial data regarding their personalities, strategies, and aspirations.
Work in data security is valuable and criticalÂ
Corporations across all industries require robust cybersecurity defenses to protect themselves against inevitable attacks, which can cost the company millions, if not billions, of dollars. However, the risks are higher than America’s prospective security and safety, which will depend mainly on our ability to counter high-tech warfare waged with sophisticated computer software.Â
Numerous cybersecurity experts, including military veterans seeking new challenges, are responding to the call. The National Institute for Cybersecurity Career Choices and Research, located within the Department of Homeland Security, provides guidance, assistance, development tools, and training opportunities to veterans interested in cybersecurity.
Mentioning that demand for cybersecurity professionals is “rising 12 times faster than the current U.S. employment market,” attempting to make the field “among the most highly desirable professions within the nation.”
Generating an honors education in cybersecurity is not the end goal you’ll have to dedicate to a regular learning graph throughout this fast-changing field. It can help you transition your career path and boost your earning potential while positively impacting the societal structure.Â
Conclusion
In the above blog post, we discussed the key factors why taking up online cyber security training is worthy.
Have any doubts? Drop them in the comments section to clarify them.
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About the Author:
Daniel Segun is the Founder and CEO of SecureBlitz Cybersecurity Media, with a background in Computer Science and Digital Marketing. When not writing, he's probably busy designing graphics or developing websites.
