At least 47 million people quit their jobs in 2021—a phenomenon that has since been dubbed the “Great Resignation”. Among the many reasons for the mass walkout were the search for better work-life balance, higher pay, and a more resilient job. If you’re one of these millions of professionals, here’s a piece of good news for you: you can find all of the above and more in cybersecurity.
Why Should You Consider a Cybersecurity Career in 2022?
Cybersecurity is one of the most rewarding careers you’ll find today, especially because of the growing need for data protection and privacy. In 2021 alone, the average cost of a data security breach was over $4 million, making it the highest average cost of a data security breach in 17 years.
Another report found that during the global pandemic, cyberattacks increased by 600 percent, and they’re expected to keep growing by 15 percent by 2025, totaling a cost of over $10 trillion. Small to medium-sized businesses are positioned as soft targets for cybercriminals because the pandemic has left them unprepared for a rapid transition into operating fully online.
With these stats in mind, it is no surprise that there’s such a high demand for cybersecurity professionals to save businesses from the claws of malicious online attacks.
In numbers, the demand spells out to around 600,000 cybersecurity job openings across the US, at the time of publishing, with expected job growth of 33 percent by the end of the decade. Organizations are also beefing up their expenditures on security in 2022 and onward as remote work becomes the new norm.
With the high demand and responsibilities attached to cybersecurity roles, there’s an equally high compensation to be expected. According to Glassdoor, cybersecurity professionals earn $93,868 on average.
To sum up, there are three top reasons to consider a cybersecurity career. One, it’s rewarding. You get to protect digital businesses and consumers as you stand at the front of the cyber gates. Two, cybersecurity is a growth area. Put simply, you won’t run out of job opportunities to enter or advance in the field. Three, because it’s a highly technical field, cybersecurity professionals are highly compensated.
Knowing these, the next step you should take is to acquire the skills needed to break into cybersecurity. And if you need to start from zero, with little to no previous experience, we have lined up the top four university-backed cybersecurity bootcamps for you to consider.
Top 4 University-Backed Cybersecurity Bootcamps to Help You Get Started
According to Indeed, entry-level cybersecurity jobs require knowledge of cybersecurity fundamentals, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and good communication skills. We have picked out some of the best bootcamps that can help you acquire these skills.
NJIT Cybersecurity Professional Bootcamp
- Introductory Course: 30 hours
- Extended Program: 370 hours
What will you learn from this program? This program is packed with practical projects to equip learners with the skills to take up cybersecurity jobs within a year. The program begins with an Introductory Course that will bring you up to speed with the fundamentals of cybersecurity, preparing you for more advanced topics covered in the Extended Program.
University of Miami Cybersecurity Professional Bootcamp
- Introductory Course: 30 hours
- Extended Program: 370 hours
What will you learn from this program? This program is designed to equip you with the skills to remain competitive in the cybersecurity job market. The program is divided into stages, and with each step, your understanding of discussed topics is put to the test through milestone projects and interactive simulation training software.
Kansas State University Cybersecurity Bootcamp
- Introductory Course: 30 hours
- Extended Program: 370 hours
What will you learn from this program? This accelerated, immersive cybersecurity program provides training to set you up for success in the job market. The advanced training prepares you with knowledge that you can apply to major certification exams like AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, CompTIA Network+, LPI Linux Essentials, and more. Obtaining industry certifications would place you in the spotlight in a pool of job applicants.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas Cybersecurity Bootcamp
- Introductory Course: 30 hours
- Extended Program: 370 hours
What will you learn from this program? Gain firsthand insights from cybersecurity experts with vast industry experience. You’ll also receive practical training to help you stand out in the job market and on professional networking sites. You will be working with CyWar, a propriety platform that provides real-world scenarios for handling cyber threats.
Prepare for Your Cybersecurity Career with Digital Bootcamps
Suppose you are considering a career change and aiming to break into tech. In that case, a cybersecurity career path might be worth considering because of the growing job opportunities, high salary, and work-life balance that comes with it. Check out any of the bootcamps mentioned above to begin your cybersecurity training and break into cybersecurity in less than a year.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
