The demand for cyber security professionals in Australia is incredibly high. If you’ve been considering a career change, or ever thought about pursuing a career in cyber security, now is the perfect time. Whether you have a little IT experience or none at all, a good cyber security course can help you get your foot in the door.

Upskilling in your current role

If you currently work in IT and are interested in upskilling into cyber security, the best thing you can do is let your employer know. According to the Australia Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), during the 2020-21 financial year, over 67,500 cybercrime reports were made. This was an increase in 13% compared to the previous financial year. It equates to one cybercrime report being made approximately every eight minutes in Australia.

In a report by IBM Security, they found the average cost of a single data breach in 2020 was AU $3.35 million, an increase of 9.8% from the previous year. In the same period, the cost of a lost or stolen record was $163, which was an increase of 3.8%. Beyond the cost of these breaches, the time it took to identify and contain the breach took an average of 211 days for businesses without security automation.

So offering to step up and learn new skills, and with several government funding options available to them, this can only be a good thing for your organisation.

Upskilling on your own

If your organisation is unable to invest the time or money to help you upskill, you can always choose to find a course that suits you outside of work. Studying while working can be challenging, but it can be done, and the result is certainly worth it.

If you have no experience in IT, you need to find a way to get it, as most employers are looking for people with both credentials and experience. Look for internships, volunteering roles or cyber security competitions; combine this with a qualification and you’re heading in the right direction for a job in cyber security.