Cyber Security

What courses are relevant to working in cyber security?

• Master of Cyber Security
  Average duration: 24 months
• Bachelor of Cyber Security
  Average duration: Three years
• Advanced Diploma of Information Technology (Cyber Security)
  Average duration: 12 months
• Diploma of Information Technology (Cyber Security)
  Average duration: 18 months
• Certificate IV in Cyber Security
  Average duration: 12 months
• Certificate III in Information Technology (Basic Cyber Security Awareness)
  Average duration: 12 months
• Cyber Security Governance, Risk and Compliance Certified Professional Course
  Average duration: 4 months

Note these are not the only courses relevant to cyber security. You can browse other cyber security-related courses here.

Recruiters also often welcome applicants with degrees in fields related to cyber security such as computer science, information technology, and governance, risk, and compliance.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert

Do you need a bachelor’s degree to work in cyber security?

You do not need a bachelor’s degree (or above) to work in cyber security.

Having a bachelor’s degree or master’s in a field relevant to cyber security would be very helpful when looking for a job, because of the depth of knowledge you can build while learning over a long course. However, such a degree is not a strict requirement.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert

Can doing shorter courses help me get work in cyber security?

Shorter courses in cyber security such as diplomas and certificates can help you get a job in the field.

Workers who have completed a cyber security-related short course, and who can also demonstrate practical technology work experience, can be highly competitive in the job market.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert

How do you get a job in cyber security?

The most direct way to find work in cyber security is to gain a qualification in cyber security or a related field.

Recruiters highly value bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cyber security.

Shorter courses in cyber security may help you stand out from the pack as well, particularly when you combine the qualification with experience working in a technology role.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert

How do I transition from another career to start working in cyber security?

Short courses, bachelor’s and master’s degrees can help you gain the skills required to find work in cyber security.

Gaining practical experience working in a technology role can also help you prepare to transition into working in cyber security. One example of such a role would be working in IT support.

If you can gain such a technology role in an organisation that values cyber security, then you can use it to demonstrate your worth to the company.

Then once you have established yourself in the organisation you could request to be transferred onto the cyber security team. An example of an entry level cyber security role you could try to move laterally towards is information security analyst.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert

What career paths are available in cyber security?

Possible career paths in cyber security include working your way up to being a partner in a consulting firm, advisory work or a corporate executive leadership team role.

In a corporate role, you could aim to move into the company’s executive leadership team with roles such as chief information security officer or chief information officer.

With regard to advisory work, such roles can go beyond technical support and into bigger picture work. Examples of such work can include helping an organisation craft an overall strategy for cyber security and planning for incident response around cyber breaches so that the company and customers are protected.

When aiming to advance your career in cyber security, it is beneficial to work in an organisation that values cyber security, is innovative in the field and has depth in the cyber security team, so there is room for career progression in this area.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert

How much does a cyber security professional earn in Australia?

The Australian Government organisation Jobs and Skills Australia reports on the median weekly earnings for cyber security professionals on its website, under the category of database and systems administrators and information and communications technology security specialists.

As of September, 2024, Jobs and Skills Australia reports that median earnings for someone working full time in this category is as follows:

• Hourly wage: $59
• Weekly wage: $2,284
• Monthly wage: $9,897
• Annual wage: $118,768

95% of workers in the above category work full time hours, with an average amount of full time hours worked per week of 41 hours.

This is contrasted with Australian workers of all occupations, 70% of whom work full time hours, with an average of 44 full time hours per week.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert

What are the advantages of a career in cyber security?

One advantage to working in cyber security is the attractive salary package that workers in the field can command.

As of September 2024, Jobs and Skills Australia reports that database and systems administrators and information and communications technology security specialists command a median weekly earnings of $2,284, compared to Australian workers of all occupations, who command median weekly earnings of $1,697.

This means that the median weekly earnings of database and systems administrators and information and communications technology security specialists is $587 higher than the weekly median for Australian workers overall.

Another advantage of becoming a cyber security professional is the satisfaction that comes with working in a highly valuable field. Cyber security professionals protect the data of companies, employees and customers, which is a vitally important role that can be very rewarding.

Another pro to working in cyber security is that it is still an emerging and developing field, with lots of room for growth and further advances.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert

How will artificial intelligence affect the future of the cyber security industry?

Cyber security and artificial intelligence (AI) are intrinsically linked due to the large data sets required to work with AI, which need to be kept secure, alongside the technology itself. Therefore as AI continues to grow, then the need for cyber security professionals will continue to grow along with it.

AI solutions can help businesses make their systems more secure, but they can also pose security risks. Either way, businesses need skilled cyber security professionals to successfully navigate the benefits and risks of AI, and they are going to continue needing them for a long time to come.

Stephen Charlton Industry expert