As we’ve strongly believed for many years, education is the most powerful tool in the fight to maintain cyber security today. The discipline is changing fast because technology is changing fast. Staying on top of the latest scams and strategies is a challenge, but it’s one that is endlessly worthwhile. While the tech industry has taken great strides to training and employing the world’s best cybersecurity professionals, there is still a significant talent gap that is important to address. This blog will talk about the ways in which we are educating and preparing the next generation on the latest cyber security issues and how that knowledge can benefit your business.
Inspire Interest Early
Students are starting to be taught about cybersecurity in high school in the hopes of building interest in the field from an early age. Cyber security is seen as a specialization for those educated in computer science, but if students are attracted to the discipline earlier there is a higher chance that they will pursue careers in that field. That interest is what will help bridge the talent gap of the future, so investing in early education will have substantial payoffs in the future. Consider attending career exploration events at local schools to help foster that interest. The experience that a high schooler would gain from a job shadowing or mentoring program would be invaluable.
Building Skills with Boot Camps
While the investment in the IT professionals of the future is important, it is the skilled workers of today who we are counting on to find solutions to the problems created by the modern world of cyber crime. Bridging the skills gap must include a strategy to train up existing professionals. And it’s not just the software engineers who would benefit from an education in cyber security. The discipline is all-encompassing enough that anyone with the problem-solving skills and strong ethical sense can do well in cyber security.
Training boot camps can provide those with an interest in pursuing a career in cyber security with the technical skills they need to become proficient. Making the discipline more attractive for professionals from other fields, veterans, and even young professionals who don’t want to attend a four-year college program. Boot camps provide an economical and in-depth exploration of the subject and provide the skills individuals need to take their interest to the field and start building their career in cyber security. Such boot camps are available from a wide variety of organizations and usually are built on a training program of three to six months. The cost of such programs varies widely, but compared to a full 4-year college degree, the programs provide value to students in a much more compressed and fiscally conservative manner.
Training Through Certifications
Similar to boot camps, certificates in cyber security offer a practical training model that allows students to focus in on their desired courses and get the certification they need to prove their value to employers. It’s arguable that the right certificate may even hold more weight than a four-year degree, particularly as it relates to cyber security. If you are interested in pursuing a certificate in this field, or encouraging your staff to do so, look into programs such as (ISC)2, CompTIA Security+, CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker, GSEC: SANS GIAC Security Essentials, CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional, and CISM: Certified Information Security Manager.
For more tips on how you can prepare your company to be better protected against cybercrime, contact the experts at Happy Faces Records Management today.
