Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. As digital threats evolve, so does the demand for skilled professionals who can protect data, networks, and infrastructure. Whether you’re just starting out or considering a career change, cybersecurity offers a wide range of roles — from ethical hacking to policy writing.
You don’t need to be a coder or have a tech degree to enter the field. What matters most is curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to learn.
Why It Matters?
Every day, organisations are targeted by cyberattacks. From global corporations to local schools, everyone needs protection. This creates a constant demand for cybersecurity professionals across industries — and with it, high salaries, remote work opportunities, and career stability.
Cybersecurity also gives you a chance to make a real difference by helping keep people, systems, and data safe.
Common Cybersecurity Career Paths
🧪 Security Analyst
- Monitors and defends systems against threats.
- Works with firewalls, antivirus tools, SIEM systems.
🐱💻 Ethical Hacker / Penetration Tester
- Simulates attacks to find vulnerabilities before criminals do.
- Needs strong knowledge of networks and systems.
🏛️ Security Compliance Officer
- Ensures organisations follow regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or ISO 27001.
- Ideal for those with legal or policy interests.
☁️ Cloud Security Specialist
- Focuses on securing data and services in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
👨🏫 Cybersecurity Educator / Awareness Trainer
- Helps people understand risks and build safer habits.
- Great for communicators and educators.
🔗 Explore more roles: CyberSeek Career Pathway – CSC
Top Entry-Level Certifications
Certifications show employers you have verified skills, even if you’re new to the field. Many offer affordable training and no prerequisites.
✅ CompTIA Security+
- The most widely recommended beginner certification.
- Covers networking, threats, and basic defense strategies.
- Security+ Info
🧩 Cisco CyberOps Associate
- Great for learning how security operations centers (SOCs) work.
- Cisco CyberOps
👾 Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- More advanced, focused on penetration testing.
- CEH Certification
🧑💻 TryHackMe / Hack The Box
- Hands-on platforms that simulate real hacking labs.
- Great for building practical experience.
- TryHackMe | Hack The Box
Advice for Getting Started
- Build foundational knowledge: start with networking and basic IT concepts
- Practice hands-on: labs like TryHackMe, Hack The Box, or Capture The Flag (CTF) challenges
- Join communities: Reddit’s r/cybersecurity, local meetups, Discord groups
- Follow news: Stay up to date with threats and trends (KrebsOnSecurity, BleepingComputer)
Free & Affordable Learning Resources
- Cybrary – Free and premium courses
- Coursera – Foundations of Cybersecurity by Google
- Free Online Cyber Security Course
- LinkedIn Learning – Cybersecurity Foundations
📘 Bonus reading: