Cybersecurity and CCIE Security Certification

According to Frost & Sullivan, jobs for information security professionals will reach almost 4.2 million by the year 2015.  It has jumped 13.2 % in 2012.  This is an indication of the urgency which many organizations, whether they be banks, business corporations, educational institutions or government  departments, feel about the immediacy of the threat on the security of their systems and data, and national security information.

There is such a shortage of certified experts in the field, that several companies are shouldering students’ educational expenses in IT security courses in exchange for first choice of hiring after graduation.  Other organizations are actively promoting careers in IT security by sponsoring cyberwar competitions.  According to CNN Money, the Air Force Association is sponsoring the CyberPatriot competition, where high school students team up against each other as they attack the others with simulated cyber attacks and defend their own virtual networks.

This would be a good time for those who already have CCIE, CCNA and CCNP certifications in other tracks, to seriously consider brushing up and updating their security skills and getting CCIE Security Certification.  For those who feel that they need more training and want to build up their security skills and knowledge, there are academic programs, conferences and websites that they can join or enroll in.

One good piece of advice is to  shop around for a dependable and expert vendor who can provide good security rack rentals, updated workbooks, training bootcamps and lab simulations for preparatory exercises leading to attempting of the CCIE Security Certification or just for skills updating if you have no plans of taking the tests yet.  The way the demand for security professionals looks, many companies won’t even wait for you to get a CCIE Security certification before hiring you.

Even with the increased demand, however, a CCIE Security Certified professional will still get a higher payscale than a non-certified one, unless the latter has a proven record of success in network security.