Learn Cyber Security through Formal Education to Give Yourself an Edge
If you are looking for a career with excellent job prospects, it's hard to do better than cybersecurity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of information security analyst jobs in the United States is expected to grow by 28 percent through 2026, a rate four times higher than the average occupation. In addition to having excellent job security, you can enter a career in cybersecurity knowing that you're doing work that will help people. According to CSO Online, cybercrime damages are expected to exceed $6 trillion by 2021, more than double the amount of damages as recently as 2015.
You don't need to know much about computers to pursue cybersecurity career, either. Even if you know nothing about programming, hardware, or IT security, you can absolutely learn all the skills you'll need to enter the cybersecurity field. You might wonder, then, if going back to school to learn cybersecurity is your best option. Couldn't you learn what you need to know over the internet?
Although there are many resources to learn about cybersecurity, there are benefits to going to school to learn that you can't get anywhere else. If you want to get an edge in your future cybersecurity career, it can be more than worth it to pursue a formal degree.
How a Degree can Help you on the Job
Even if you know a lot about computers, there are aspects of a cybersecurity job that a degree program can help you with. For starters, a good program will let you test your skills with the sorts of scenarios that you will have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. Additionally, you can more easily be tested on a variety of situations and skills in classes and labs than at home on your computer. This job can be unpredictable, and it's important to be able to adjust on the fly when new and unexpected problems arise. At school, you will receive excellent preparation for unexpected problems.
The Importance of Certifications
One of the most important elements in building your resume as you prepare for your cybersecurity career is getting certifications. Certifications are exams overseen by third parties, which, if you pass, confirm that you possess skills and knowledge that are valuable in the cybersecurity field.
While getting your cybersecurity degree, you will also get prepared to take important certification exams, so that upon graduation you can get certified as soon as possible. The sooner you get key certifications, the sooner you can compete for more lucrative cybersecurity jobs.
Handling a Complex Digital Environment
The world of cybercrime is vast and complicated. Although there are skills you can learn at home that you can put to use towards a career, getting a grasp of the scope of cybersecurity is easier in school. There are many different skillsets to hone to achieve the sort of well-rounded understanding of cybersecurity that will give you the greatest latitude in pursuing your career.
For every key skill you can teach yourself at home, you can probably learn more and with greater efficiency at school. Some companies might want someone skilled at penetration testing. Others might want someone who can counter cyber-attacks as they happen. Still others might just be looking for someone with a deep understanding of effective protocols who can make sure their strategies are sound. The more you know, the better off you will be in your career.
Do you see yourself as a cyber warrior defending individuals and businesses against hackers and their varied attacks? If you want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Cyber and Network Security - Cybersecurity Track, ECPI University offers this program on a year-round schedule. For more information about admissions, connect with our helpful admissions team today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.
Gainful Employment Information – Cyber and Network Security - Bachelor’s
For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.