3 graduate cyber security jobs you should consider
Individuals who have recently obtained a degree in a field related to cyber security will find themselves in a solid position for gainful employment.
Cyber security is an ever-growing industry. The bottom line is that criminals are constantly evolving and finding new ways to access confidential information. Conversely, organisations around the world are struggling to keep up with them. As such, the need for highly talented cyber security professionals is now higher than ever.
The unemployment rate in the cyber security sector is 0 per cent. In fact, a recent parliamentary inquiry suggested the shortage of talented workers was “verging on a crisis” and the struggle is similar across the globe.
So, with organisations competing for new talent, those individuals embarking on their first professional role following university are in a great position to make the most of every opportunity.
But what jobs should new professionals to the field be searching for? Here are three of the top cyber security jobs for recent graduates.
Network engineer
These experts are technical specialists that work with computer networks. Their primary responsibilities are to configure and maintain networks, providing ongoing support to users.
The salary of a junior network engineer starts at an average of £47,000 per year and can reach up to £61,000, according to Indeed. To boost your earning potential in this field, consider a CCNP certification.
Information security analyst
An information security analyst is responsible for creating strategies to protect their organisation against cyber attacks. Essentially, they are the first line of defence when it comes to safeguarding sensitive data, networks and systems.
The main tasks of an information security analyst include monitoring networks, proactively searching for threats and analysing issues. Indeed figures estimate a junior security analyst to make roughly £36,500 per year in the UK.
Ethical hacker
If you’re interested in the psychology behind cyber criminals’ activities, ethical hacking could be the perfect role for you. Putting themselves in the shoes of malicious attackers, ethical hackers are tasked with carrying out advanced penetration testing on their organisation’s systems and networks to highlight vulnerabilities.
To become a certified ethical hacker, you don’t need to hold a degree. However, you will need some form of proof that you can do the job. This could be in the form of a CEH qualification, which demands two years of security-related experience.
An early career ethical hacker with less than four years of experience earns, on average, £39,000 per year, according to Indeed.
Digital forensic analyst
For those who are passionate to be directly involved in cyber criminal investigations, digital forensics is a path to consider pursuing. An analyst works collaboratively with law enforcement agencies to understand how attacks happen and who is responsible for orchestrating them.
The starting salary for a digital forensic analyst starts in the range of £21,000 to £25,000 in the UK, but with just a few years of experience you could soon be earning upwards of £40,000 per year.
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