• Cryptocurrency
  • Earnings
  • Enterprise
  • About TechBooky
  • Submit Article
  • Advertise Here
  • Contact Us
TechBooky
  • African
  • AI
  • Metaverse
  • Gadgets
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • African
  • AI
  • Metaverse
  • Gadgets
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
TechBooky
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Home African

Cybersecurity Skills Survey Highlights Opportunities For Diverse Talents In South Africa

Contributor by Contributor
June 30, 2022
in African, Security
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

More than half of cybersecurity professionals agree that people don’t need a university degree to have a successful career in cybersecurity, despite 85% of those professionals holding degrees related to IT, computer science technology.

Forty-five percent of those surveyed reported working in careers and professions other than cybersecurity in the past, although more than half had roles in more general information technology environments.

That’s according to research into the cybersecurity industry talent shortage conducted on behalf of Trellix which offers an extended detection and response (XDR) approach to protecting private and public entities from cybercriminals. 

“The cybersecurity world changes so quickly that it’s difficult to study the theory in a university and then apply that knowledge in the working world,” says Carlo Bolzonello, country lead for Trellix in South Africa. “Success in cybersecurity needs an inquisitive and analytic personality, along with the ability to remain composed and calm under pressure.” 

This makes a career in cybersecurity a potential opportunity for those among South Africa’s high unemployment statistics, who may otherwise not have considered the field because they believed it requires formal education that they may not be able to afford.

Carlo Bolzonello, country lead for Trellix in South Africa

“As someone who started my career in cybersecurity by working in a computer retailer – and who does not have a university degree but has a number of industry-specific qualifications, I encourage South Africans to consider a career in cybersecurity,” Bolzonello says.

“South Africans are world-renowned for their strong work ethic, and their willingness to take on any task, even if it falls beyond their job description. We’re also naturally curious and determined to find a work-around to just about any situation – all attributes that make a strong cybersecurity professional,” he adds. 

Respondents to the survey describe a career in cybersecurity as ‘purposeful and motivating’, with more than half choosing the sector because it is progressive and constantly evolving, and they enjoy exploring challenging new trends. Four in ten emphasized the relevance of cybersecurity as business, industry and government become increasingly digitally platformed, with one in five saying that they had chosen the field because the value doing something that helps society for the greater good. 

Despite these motivations, a little more than one third of the professionals surveyed felt that there’s a lack of recognition among society for the importance of the work they do.

More than 90% of cybersecurity professionals emphasize that there is a skills gap in their profession, despite a growing demand to fill security-related roles, while more than one third note that there is limited support when it comes to the qualifications and certifications required to enter the industry.

“It’s inspiring to see that 92% of cybersecurity professionals believe that greater mentorship, internships, and apprenticeships would encourage more diversity in cybersecurity roles,” Bolzonello continues.

“They also believe that the three most important steps towards encouraging new candidates in the industry are raising awareness of cybersecurity careers, encouraging students to pursue STEM-related careers throughout their education journey, and more funding to support learning. It’s clear that there’s no single quick fix to the cybersecurity skills challenge, but there are multiple ways to address the various challenges,” he says.

Those surveyed recognised that their own organisations could be doing more to encourage more people into the industry, including broader recruitment drives, community mentoring in schools, and being more open to considering job applicants from non-traditional cybersecurity backgrounds.

Bolzonello, as a self-taught cybersecurity specialist, adds that many local companies are cautious to invest in cybersecurity skills development because, with demand for expertise being so high, they fear that newly skilled workers will leave for greener (better paid) pastures as soon as they’re qualified.

“Companies need to constantly review salaries against market rates to retain skills, but they also need to remember that the fast-changing nature of this sector means that some of the best experts in the game are self-taught, without any formal certifications. Insisting on remunerating people based on their qualifications is counter-intuitive in this field – people should be remunerated based on their skills and experience too.”

The cybersecurity company offers extended detection and response, (XDR), which uses artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation to complement human skills to protect private and public sector environments, helping them respond to active threats through living security solutions.

Related Posts:

  • The Liquid C&C Cybersecurity Fusion Centre is set to put Microsoft Data Centre Out of Business.
    The Liquid C&C Cybersecurity Fusion Centre is…
  • Robotics
    Nigeria Ranked As Africa’s Second Most Cyber-secure…
  • B01_Zenith-Heights-Head-Office-Building-of-Zenith-Ban_RT
    5 Nigerian banks' N178bn Tech Splurge: What you Need to Know
  • Nigeria Bureau of Statistics Data breach
    Hackers Compromised The NBS Sever, But No Ransomware Yet
  • cyber-security-istock
    African SMEs Face a Host of Cybersecurity Challenges
  • Copy-of-Blue-Modern-Gradient-Beauty-And-Fashion-Blog-Banner-2024-07-10T161619.685
    Kenya Reports 2.54 Billion Cyber Threats in Q1 of 2025
  • Top_Cybersecurity_Projects
    Cybersecurity Projects for Both beginners and Experts
  • png_20220718_215544_0000
    South Africa's Cassava Technologies Raises $50m From…

Discover more from TechBooky

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Tags: cybersecurityjobsskillssouth africa
Contributor

Contributor

Posts by contributors. You can send in a post to be reviewed and published to info@techbooky.com

BROWSE BY CATEGORIES

Receive top tech news directly in your inbox

subscription from
Loading

Freshly Squeezed

  • Mastercard, Pay4You Team Up for Europe Spend Management July 7, 2025
  • Research Shows Threads Catching Up to X’s User Base July 7, 2025
  • TikTok Develops New App Version Ahead of US Sale July 7, 2025
  • Earth’s Rotation Changes Affect Technology and Global Networks July 7, 2025
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 Release Date July 7, 2025
  • Nigeria’s Web3 Developers Jump 31%, Funding Reaches $160M July 5, 2025

Browse Archives

July 2025
MTWTFSS
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031 
« Jun    

Quick Links

  • About TechBooky
  • Advertise Here
  • Contact us
  • Submit Article
  • Privacy Policy
  • Login

© 2021 Design By Tech Booky Elite

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • African
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Gadgets
  • Metaverse
  • Tips
  • About TechBooky
  • Advertise Here
  • Submit Article
  • Contact us

© 2021 Design By Tech Booky Elite

Discover more from TechBooky

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok