When you think about careers in tech, you might imagine coding all day or fixing broken laptops. But the world of cybersecurity is so much bigger, more exciting, and more important than that.
Right now, there’s a cyber skills gap. This means there aren’t enough trained people to fill all the cybersecurity jobs that exist. In fact, the UK alone is short of tens of thousands of professionals every year. For young people, this is great news: more opportunities, more choice, and more chances to make a difference.
So what kinds of jobs are out there? Let’s explore some of the key roles in the cyber universe.
Advisors – The Guides of the Cyber Universe
Advisors are the people who help organisations, governments, and communities make the right decisions about safety and privacy online.
- Security Consultant – Think of them as a cyber personal trainer. They assess how fit a company’s defences are, then recommend how to strengthen them.
- Policy Advisor – Shapes rules and laws around privacy and online safety, making sure technology works for people, not against them.
Designers – The Cyber Creators
These roles focus on building systems from the ground up with security baked in.
- Security Architect – Designs the blueprint for secure networks and systems, ensuring they’re built to resist attacks.
- Security Engineer – Builds and implements the actual tools: firewalls, authentication systems, and secure cloud setups.
Testers – The Ethical Hackers
Testing roles are about finding weaknesses before criminals do.
- Penetration Tester (Ethical Hacker) – Paid to hack into systems to expose vulnerabilities, then recommend fixes. Some even test physical security (e.g., breaking into offices) to show how real-world weaknesses can be exploited.
- Bug Bounty Hunter – Freelancers who hunt for flaws in apps and websites. Companies pay rewards for each bug they discover.
Defenders – The Cyber Firefighters
When something goes wrong, defenders are the ones rushing in to protect, contain, and investigate.
- Incident Responder – Called in when attacks happen, they stop the damage, figure out what happened, and help systems recover.
- SOC Analyst (Security Operations Centre Analyst) – Monitors systems 24/7, spotting suspicious behaviour and stopping threats in real time.
Researchers – The Cyber Detectives
Researchers dive deep into the digital underworld to uncover threats and understand how attacks work.
- Threat Intelligence Analyst – Like an investigative journalist of the cyber world.
- They gather clues from across the deep, dark, and surface web to build a picture of emerging threats.
- Malware Analyst – Takes apart malicious software, reverse-engineering it to understand how it works and how to stop it.
The Big Picture
Cybersecurity isn’t just about tech; it’s about people, creativity, problem-solving, and protecting our digital world. Whether you’re a strategist, a builder, a hacker, or a detective, there’s a role for you. You don’t need to be the most technical person in the room to get into cyber. People from all kinds of backgrounds and education, from law to psychology to arts, have successfully transitioned into the field.
And with the cyber skills gap growing, there’s never been a better time to explore this universe!
