Cybersecurity is a dynamic and rapidly growing field, with new threats and challenges emerging each day. And with that, there is a huge push being undertaken by both business and education sectors to attract individuals toward a degree and career in cyber. Whether you’re a student or someone seeking a career change, we encourage you to explore job opportunities and consider joining this exciting new workforce!

Here are a few reasons why pursuing a degree and career in cyber might be right for you.

Hot Job Market

To say that the cybersecurity jobs market is hot would be a huge understatement. Cybersecurity Ventures has found that there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs in 2021. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for information security analysts will grow by 32 percent by 2028 – making it one of the fastest growing job sectors. This means that cybersecurity professionals are among the most in-demand around the world and will be for years to come.

Infinite Room for Personal and Professional Growth

Beyond just the ability to get a cybersecurity job, thanks to an ever-growing set of career tracks, cybersecurity offers a variety of different options for professionals to find a position that fits nicely with their own interests. Cybersecurity professionals work in everything from compliance to stress testing cyber defenses and software, so there are virtually limitless ways that professionals can apply their skills and look to grow them.

Investment in Advanced Cybersecurity Pays for Itself

Due to the shortage of cybersecurity talent in the workforce, businesses and educational institutions are constantly rolling out new avenues by which to make cybersecurity careers more affordable. For example, new grants and scholarships are now becoming available each day for individuals interested in cybersecurity careers, while many businesses are beginning to offer tuition reimbursement or other financial perks. This means that a degree in cybersecurity may be much more affordable than you originally thought.

Graduate Growth

In addition to interesting “on the ground” work that cybersecurity professionals get to take on every day, there is also a growing selection of highly tailored cybersecurity graduate programs that can further academic knowledge in cybersecurity. For example, graduate degrees ranging from Applied Cryptography to Network Vulnerability and Detection are now being offered through colleges and universities nationwide. Did you know that the University of Chicago offers a Machine Learning for Cybersecurity course and a Mitigating Cyber Risk in Governance course? These courses can provide current or aspiring cybersecurity professionals with an opportunity to network with peers and discover potential job opportunities.

Find Your Path at UChicago

Join our team. There are various job openings currently available in the Information Technology job family related to Information and Network Security at the University of Chicago.

Want to learn more?

Here are some helpful websites and resources for anyone interested in learning more about joining the cybersecurity community.

  • CyberSeek.org: This website offers an interactive “heat map” showing the current supply and demand in the cybersecurity market. You can also explore career pathways with an interactive tool highlighting common cybersecurity roles, opportunities to advance, as well as more information about salaries, credentials, and skillsets related to each role.
  • Cyber Career Pathways Tool: The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) offers an interactive website to explore work roles and core attributes (e.g., tasks, knowledge, skills, and abilities) associated with each role.
  • Students, Launch Your Cybersecurity Careers: NICCS also offers a website for students that includes career profiles, information about pursuing degrees or scholarships, and more to help students think about cybersecurity as a lucrative career option.
  • International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals: ICMCP is a non-profit association that supports the education and career advancement of underrepresented women and minority cybersecurity professionals. Resources include scholarships, mentoring programs, outreach, volunteer opportunities, and regional chapters.
  • CyberCareers.gov: Looking for a job in the federal government? This website lists current job openings and provides tools and resources for four distinct audiences: job seekers, current federal employees, federal hiring managers, and students & universities.
  • CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service: This program provides scholarships for undergrad and graduate students pursuing a cybersecurity education (up to 3 years). Those who receive scholarships must agree to work for the federal government in a cybersecurity-related role after graduation.
  • Cybersecurity Talent Initiative: Recent graduates in cybersecurity related fields (e.g., computer science, engineering, information science, mathematics) who find work in the private sector or federal agencies can receive student loan assistance.
  • #InfoSecJobs: Follow this hashtag on Twitter for new information security and cybersecurity-related job opportunities.

If you have any questions about cybersecurity careers or would like to learn more about the current information security openings, please contact us by email at security@uchicago.edu.

You can also learn more about Cybersecurity Career Awareness week led by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE).

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