A recent survey by Fortinet, titled "Cybersecurity Skills Gap 2024," highlights a concerning trend: 94% of organizations in the Philippines reported experiencing one or more cyber incidents in 2023, a slight increase from 92% in 2022. While no single factor can explain all breaches, IT leaders identified several key contributors:
Lack of skills and training among IT/security staff (77%).
Insufficient cybersecurity tools (64%).
Low organizational or employee security awareness (57%).
These findings underscore the persistent demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals.
If you're considering a career in cybersecurity but lack experience or a degree, our instructors at Invictus Technology Solutions offer valuable tips to help you enter this dynamic field and address the local skills gap.
Here's what it looks like.
How to enter the cybersecurity field without experience? Let's dive in!
Utilize your current skills.
Cybersecurity is a broad and technical field, and for newcomers, the learning curve can be steep. Leveraging your existing skills allows you to focus on learning the specific cybersecurity components that you don’t already know without having to master entirely new disciplines from scratch. This minimizes the overwhelming feeling and makes the entry process more manageable.
If you have experience in networking, software development, or IT support, those skills are highly transferable and relevant to many cybersecurity roles. For example:
Networking skills help in understanding how data flows, configuring firewalls and intrusion detection systems, and securing networks.
Programming knowledge can assist in automation, penetration testing, and malware analysis.
Troubleshooting skills can assist with critical thinking and problem-solving.
By leveraging these skills, you can more easily adapt to new cybersecurity concepts and practices.
Take part in competitions.
Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions offer an interactive, hands-on approach to learning cybersecurity skills. Instead of just reading about concepts like vulnerability exploitation, cryptography, or network security, you actively solve problems that simulate real-world scenarios. This practical exposure helps you build and apply technical skills in a dynamic environment.
Participating in CTFs allows you to develop and sharpen essential cybersecurity skills in areas such as:
Web application security (e.g., SQL injection, cross-site scripting).
Network analysis and security (e.g., packet capture analysis, firewalls).
Reverse engineering.
Forensics (e.g., disk image analysis, memory analysis).
Cryptography.
These competitions encourage problem-solving in various cybersecurity domains, giving you a broader understanding of the field and making you more versatile as a professional.
Acquire pertinent certifications.
Certifications are a great way to validate your skills and can speed up your entry into the field of cybersecurity. They are globally recognized and provide a structured way to acquire and demonstrate your understanding of key cybersecurity concepts. For a newcomer, having a certification such as CompTIA Security+ shows potential employers that you have the essential skills needed for entry-level roles, even if you lack extensive work experience.
After obtaining some experience, you can obtain more specialist certifications, such as Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), depending on your interests.
Build strong professional connections.
When establishing yourself in a new field, it's important to connect with like-minded individuals and professionals who share your passions and interests. We recommend attending cybersecurity-related conferences or local meetups and participating in cybersecurity workshops. You can also utilize LinkedIn to connect with a broader range of cybersecurity professionals without the limitation of physical boundaries.
Finally, it's important to find a mentor who can help you navigate your career path and provide you with valuable insights. Mentorship helps bridge the divide between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Experienced mentors can guide newcomers through complex security strategies, threat assessments, and response mechanisms, essential for effective cybersecurity practices. This hands-on learning accelerates the understanding of intricate frameworks and prepares mentees for real-world challenges.
Stay current with industry trends.
Cybersecurity is a rapidly changing field due to new technologies, threats and regulations. As a cybersecurity professional, being up-to-date with the latest threats is essential for detecting, preventing, and mitigating risks. Keeping up with the latest technologies, such as AI and machine learning, software updates, security protocols, and vendor news, ensures you implement the best solutions for protecting networks and data.
We recommend regularly reading cybersecurity blogs, listening to podcasts, and following industry news to stay informed about emerging threats and technologies. You can also join Online Communities to engage in forums and social media groups focused on cybersecurity, such as Reddit’s r/cybersecurity or LinkedIn groups, to learn and network.
Look for entry-level jobs.
Entry-level positions allow you to develop core skills critical for more advanced roles in cybersecurity. Roles like IT support, security analyst, network administrator, or even internships provide opportunities to apply what you've learned in real-world scenarios. You'll encounter real threats, configurations, and security policies, helping you build a solid foundation in the field. These jobs can serve as a springboard for more specialized cybersecurity responsibilities and frequently involve security-related tasks.
Helping you reach your goals in cybersecurity
Whether you're a newcomer trying to break into the field of cybersecurity or an experienced specialist looking to further hone your skills, we're here to help. We have a wide range of cybersecurity courses delivered by instructors with years of field experience to help you achieve your career advancement goals.
Please contact us here for individual or corporate-based training requirements.
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