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Can career changers plug the gap in cyber-security roles?

10 October 2024

I was fascinated to discover how being a police officer, astrophysicist or arts graduate helps to build a solid foundation for a career in cybersecurity.

For my latest article for the BBC's Technology of Business site, I interviewed people who had changed from markedly different careers into cybersecurity. The common thread was how valuable skills from other careers are in cybersecurity. That could be the ability to assess risk learned on the beat in Scotland, the skills to process huge amounts of data learned while studying galaxies, or the attention to detail developed in a personal assistant role.

With a shortage of four million cybersecurity professionals worldwide, the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) is advising companies to hire based on skills. “A lot of security is about people, process and technology," says Amanda Finch, chief executive, CIISec. "When we do our survey of the skills we’re short of each year, technical skills come out lower than communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.”

Some companies clearly are hiring for transferable skills: 41% of companies are trying to switch non-technical people into cyber-security roles within the company, and 39% of new cyber-security employees came from a non-IT role.

Together with my previous article on getting into tech without a degree, I hope my new article on cybersecurity careers will inspire readers to consider tech careers, whatever their past experience.

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