Closing the gender gap with a career in cyber security
The under-representation of women in tech positions is causing an alarming gender gap in the industry. Only 19% of people working in the tech industry are women, so it’s important to understand why this is happening.
What is causing the gender gap?
Research by PwC showed that women not entering the industry starts from their school education. They identified the following 3 key factors which contributed to this.
- Women are not presented with enough information on technology careers at school
- Women are not encouraged to look at tech as a career option as often as men
- Women say tech is too male-dominated and that they can’t see themselves as technologists
Applying a magnifying lens to this gender gap reveals an overwhelming contribution to these results is the lack of women within cyber security. Less than 20% of cyber security positions are currently held by women. If we don’t begin to make steps towards changing this, the industry is going to continue to suffer.
Why does it need to change?
Having a lack of representation greatly impacts the progression of an industry. Women have made amazing contributions to cyber security in the past and are continuing to do so today, and encouraging more women to join will only increase these vital advancements.
Priscilla Moriuchi, the Director of Strategic Threat Development at Recorded Future spoke to Forbes about why we need more diversity in the cyber security industry. She said: “We need people with disparate backgrounds because the people we are pursuing, (threat actors, hackers, ‘bad guys’) also have a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.”
Cyber security is essential in today’s tech environment, with companies at constant risk of a cyber attack. The industry constantly needs new ideas and solutions to combat the rise of attacks and so the demand for certified professionals is ever rising.
With over 25% of female students being put off a career in technology as it’s ‘too male dominated,’ more women in cyber security will also reduce the amount of gender bias that exists within it today. People will no longer see it as a masculine career and it will inspire a future generation of women towards it.
Why should you find a role in cyber security?
Gender aside, the demand for cyber security professionals is at an all time high. With employers reporting that they can’t fill their vacancies, there is a 0% unemployment rate in the industry. Getting certified and becoming skilled in cyber security will open up a multitude of opportunities for you, all over the world.
You’ll experience all the benefits of being in high demand with competitive salaries and job security. With the continued rise of the tech industry, cyber security is crucial, your job will remain important throughout your career, which is a great position to be in.
Job satisfaction is also a massive bonus, what you’re doing everyday makes a positive impact. Your actions have the possibility of saving companies masses of revenue or even protecting important data. It is a job to be proud of.
How to get there?
Getting certified is an effective route into cyber security. No matter your skills and experience, there’s a course to get you up to speed with what you need to know to kickstart your career.
Cyber security professional collection
This collection of courses is great for those looking to explore a range of aspects of cyber security. It includes certifications from a library of industry experts, CompTIA, Cisco, EC-Council, Microsoft, ISACA and ISC2. You’ll learn the basics from the CompTIA Network+ and go on to explore specific pathways like ethical hacking and security analysing.
This collection of certifications will give you an understanding how to look for weaknesses and vulnerabilities in target systems. Upon completion, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to become an ethical hacker. You’ll study the EC-Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker, a highly demanded and weighted certification that will add immense value to your portfolio.
Cyber security analyst collection
With no prerequisites, this course is for beginners looking to learn how to analyse vulnerabilities in security systems. With certifications provided by globally respected organisation CompTIA, you will finish with all you need to apply for your first job as an analyst.
What do the experts have to say?
Hear from people within the cyber security industry discuss what they love about they roles and why you should consider it as a career.
Lucy Caiger, Cyber Security Consultant
“The wide range of areas and roles means that there is highly likely to be something that you can find which engages and interests you.”
Pavi Ramamurthy, Senior Information Security Manager at LinkedIn
“I love building a wide variety of security programs, or just being in the thick of a security incident and driving the incident response process. Each comes with its own set of excitement and challenges. It’s fulfilling to brainstorm with my team on ways to improve, and also keep up-to-date on security news, professionals and new technologies.”
Next steps
We are passionate about helping women start their careers in tech and we’re here to help demystify the industry.
Enquire about cyber security now to receive a bespoke consultation from an expert consultant. We can talk you through the right steps for you to reach your career goals, depending on your experience. It is the perfect time to get certified and you should be excited for what is ahead of you.
