Why go into cyber security?
1. Introduction
The cybersecurity professions, as diverse as they are, all converge towards a common goal: protecting the data of companies, local authorities and government agencies against cyber-attacks. This convergence offers an ideal opportunity for professional retraining.
In this article, we’ll explore why you should consider a career change into cybersecurity, the fundamental skills you need to move forward with confidence in this field, and the essential training paths available.
As part of the goal to create 75,000 jobs by 2025, the cybersecurity sector is not only attractive, but also offers promising prospects in France and abroad. This constantly expanding sector could even see its sales exceed 25 billion euros in the next two years. These exciting forecasts offer wide-ranging career opportunities, accessible to a variety of profiles, paving the way for retraining for those who want to blossom in a stimulating world.
With sales expected to grow by 9% in 2022 in France (following an already notable 8.3% increase in Europe in 2021), considerable demand for personnel, a constantly expanding training offer, attractive remuneration packages and diversified career prospects, the cybersecurity sector is positioning itself as a bastion of stability. This resilience is also reinforced by the French government’s active commitment to doubling the number of jobs, nurturing three French unicorns, and tripling the sector’s sales to €25 billion by 2025, from €8 billion in 2022.
2. Opportunities in Cyber Security
There are a number of reasons why working professionals are considering a career change into the field of cybersecurity. Here’s why you might want to consider a career in cybersecurity:
- A buoyant market, a growing need for jobs :
Faced with the increasing power and sophistication of cyber-attacks, companies are experiencing a growing demand for cybersecurity. Between 2017 and 2021, this demand has doubled, creating a landscape where Wavestone has identified no fewer than 15,000 vacancies in this dynamic sector. Job opportunities abound, offering professionals the chance to enter a constantly expanding field.
- Attractive remuneration and promising career prospects:
The scarcity of cybersecurity skills translates into particularly competitive remuneration packages for professionals in this sector. What’s more, their career paths are generally fast-paced, with opportunities to rise to positions of responsibility and management, and to progress rapidly in their careers.
- A job that makes sense and gives meaning:
Cybersecurity professionals, often referred to as “ethical hackers”, are at the forefront of the fight against hackers. Their day-to-day role is to ensure the protection of organizations’ digital infrastructures, giving their work an ethical dimension and an important place in the company.
This combination of factors makes cybersecurity a promising industry for those seeking to combine meaning, attractive remuneration and career advancement.
3. Jobs in the cybersecurity sector
Navigating the multitude of cybersecurity professions can be confusing, especially for those new to the field! To light the way, here is a selection of the five most common trades:
- Cybersecurity analyst: responsible for preventing and dealing with incidents linked to cyber attacks, the cybersecurity analyst keeps a daily watch to anticipate new threats to a company’s information systems.
- Cybersecurity consultant: a professional specializing in assessing the vulnerability of corporate systems and networks, the cybersecurity consultant works with temporary structures to find tailor-made solutions to guarantee data protection.
- Cryptologist: a master of encryption, the cryptologist secures information transmissions and tests the resistance of encodings, thus helping to prevent cyber-attacks.
- Cybersecurity Project Manager: responsible for defining and supervising Information Systems projects, the cybersecurity project manager ensures the reliability and security of a company’s digital infrastructures.
- Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM): an experienced executive and manager, the ISSM is THE person in charge of steering the organization’s security policy, playing a key role in the protection of digital assets.
- This selection offers an enlightening overview of the various career opportunities in cybersecurity, guiding everyone towards the career that best matches their level of expertise and ambitions. But it’s not exhaustive!
Find a more complete version of the cybersecurity professions classified into five categories thanks to the Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information (ANSSI):
1. Safety management and project management
– Cybersecurity Director
– Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM)
– Safety project manager…
2. Designing and maintaining a secure IS
– Project Security Manager
– Safety architect
– Safety specialist in a technical field
– Specialist in secure development
– Cryptologist…
3. Security incident and crisis management
– SOC Manager
– SOC Analyst Operator
– CSIRT manager…
4. Consulting, services and research
– Cybersecurity Consultant
– Cybersecurity trainer
– Security solutions developer
– Security solutions integrator…
5. Related trades
– Safety Director
– Risk manager
– Insurance Manager…
This classification provides a structured overview of career opportunities in the cybersecurity field, helping those undergoing retraining to target professions aligned with their skills and aspirations.
4. What skills and knowledge should you develop for a successful career in cybersecurity?
The 4 technical skills needed to perform in business:
- Proficiency in network administration :
Before any consideration can be given to protecting a computer system, a thorough understanding of its constituent elements is essential. It is essential to master the main functional relationships that contribute to network stability.
- Programming skills :
A security expert needs to be familiar with specialized programming languages and master the most common operating systems.
- Expertise in security and data protection standards:
The key cybersecurity skill lies in mastering Internet security tools, such as antivirus software, website security protocols, firewalls, identification tools, and tools for encrypting data storage locations, among others. A skilled professional must also possess in-depth knowledge of digital security standards, user data exploitation procedures, and information exchange standards, while remaining constantly up to date, as the environment evolves rapidly.
- Risk management :
Preventing attacks requires the ability to analyze risk, identify risk factors and assess potential damage in the event of a crisis. Managing this risk means anticipating threats, preventing them and, if necessary, responding effectively to an attack.
These interpersonal skills are essential if you are to be considered an asset by your company:
In addition to the technical aspects, there are four interpersonal qualities that are essential to becoming a cybersecurity expert:
- Collaboration and teamwork :
Successful development in this field requires the ability to work as part of a team, both internally and externally. Given that other professions may be called upon to help secure systems and networks, developing strong interpersonal skills is imperative.
- Stress resistance :
When it comes to cybersecurity, mental toughness is a must. In the event of a major cyber-attack, the ability to maintain composure is crucial to developing effective solutions, often under tight deadlines. Reliability thus becomes a fundamental quality for assuming these responsibilities in all circumstances.
- Communication skills :
A cybersecurity professional must excel at communication. He must be able to pass on safety rules to his customers or teams, and involve them in new projects. Patience, pedagogy, and sometimes a great sense of persuasion are essential to achieve these objectives, all the more so as many company managers still have little understanding of the cyber risks they could face.
- Integrity and discretion:
The ability to act with discretion and maintain an irreproachable work ethic is essential to ensure the security and confidentiality of the information handled. Cybersecurity professionals, often holders of sensitive information, play a key role in data preservation, requiring absolute trust from customers and stakeholders.
5. How do I start a career transition?
Embarking on a career transition involves finding the best options for acquiring the technical skills needed in the cybersecurity sector. You have several options:
1. In-house training :
Within an organization, and particularly in large companies, the possibility of training in cybersecurity with a view to enhancing skills is a concrete reality. Initiatives such as the Forcy training course launched by Thales in 2015 enable engineers looking to reorient their careers towards cybersecurity to develop their skills. Orange also offers ongoing training at its cyberdefense academy, covering areas such as cloud cybersecurity, threat intelligence, industrial cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
2. External continuing education :
Through dedicated training centers, universities and schools specializing in cybersecurity, it is possible to acquire fundamental knowledge, obtain specific certifications and develop expertise in the field.
Find out more about our professional training courses (CTA)
3. Initial academic training (Bachelor, Licence, MSc) :
For those with no notion of IT or cybersecurity, the option of an initial Bachelor’s, Licence or MSc course is a viable one. This multi-year program offers a gradual immersion in the world of IT and cybersecurity. It includes specialization in English, immersion in the corporate world through internships, and two additional years (bac +5) to deepen the knowledge acquired in previous years. This path aims to provide high-level technical skills, offering a 360-degree global vision of the sector’s challenges.
Here are a few initial training courses to look out for if you’re interested:
- BTS SIO (computer services for organizations), a two-year course (bac +2).
- BTS CIEL (cybersecurity – IT and network option), also a two-year course (bac +2).
- Bachelor’s degree specialized in computer science, spread over three years (bac +3).
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, systems and networks, lasting three years (bac +3).
- Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, for in-depth training over five years (bac +5).
- Computer engineering school with a specialization in cybersecurity (bac +5).
Find out more about our bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity (CTA).
6. Conclusion
Opting for a new career in cybersecurity offers the assurance of finding a job that’s both exciting, challenging and technical. In a context of increasing employability, many organizations are actively seeking skilled professionals to protect them against the ever-growing cyber threats. This is an exceptional opportunity to evolve in a fast-growing sector, where technical challenges meet the satisfaction of meaningful work.
If you’re interested in a career change in cybersecurity, now’s the time! With high-quality training in IT security and certification recognized by industry professionals, you’ll have every chance of quickly landing an exciting job in this fast-growing field.
To find out more about our cybersecurity training courses, download the brochure directly from Hecten.co.uk. (CTA brochure)
And if you’d rather have an expert in online training, contact us directly, and we’ll be delighted to point you in the right direction! (CTA contact page)