Career Trends Survey Results: Hot Topics, Trends for 2010
Career Trends Survey Results: Hot Topics, Trends for 2010 Princeton, NJ - December 22, 2009 - Information Security Media Group, Corp. - Risk management, cybersecurity and forensics investigations are where the hot jobs are for information security professionals in 2010. And most companies - despite tough times - continue to foot at least part of the bill for career-minded pros who intend to go back to school or gain new industry certifications.These are among the findings of the first annual Information Security Today Career Trends Survey, conducted by Information Security Media Group (ISMG) and sponsored by McAfee and Regis University.
This study was conducted electronically by ISMG in September 2009. The goal of the research: to create the benchmark for information security careers - where the jobs are and what's required to fill them.
In all, there were 255 respondents, 47% of them from financial institutions, 12% from government, 9% from consulting and 9% from technology.
Among the key findings:
Risk Management, Cybersecurity, Fraud/Forensics are Top Priorities - No matter how you ask the question - "What skills are required?" "What training will you seek?" "What are the top 3 concerns for CISOs?" - the answer consistently comes back to risk management, cybersecurity and fraud/forensics investigations. These topics emerge among the top choices of skills, studies and job opportunities in 2010.
Information Security Professionals Want New Skills - and Organizations Will Foot the Bill - Conventional wisdom is that when economic times get tough, training budgets take the biggest hit. But survey results tell a different story: that 42% of respondents will seek academic training in 2010; 62% will seek new certifications; and a whopping 79% of their organizations continue to fund that training at least partially.
Schools, Professional Groups Stand to Benefit in 2010 - Committed to growing their professional competencies, information security professionals will invest their time and resources in certifications bodies, professional organization and academic institutions in 2010. Asked what kind of training they intend to pursue, 62% choose certifications bodies, while 54% say professional groups and 43% select schools.
"We're pleased to see agreement across industries about the career trends in 2010," says Tom Field, ISMG's editorial director. "It's also encouraging to see so many organizations still willing to foot the bill for professionals to gain the skills they need to advance their careers."
Full survey results are available on ISMG's websites (https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/surveys.php?surveyID=6), which also host:
- A Podcast Interview with Barbara Massa of McAfee, discussing what the results mean to information security professionals in 2010;
- Results Webinar in which Field leads attendees through the results, then discusses them with industry/academic thought-leaders, including Massa, Patrick Howard of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and John Rossi of National Defense University.
The Information Security Today Career Trends Survey is just the latest research from ISMG, which annually conducts its Banking Information Security Today research, as well as other studies of topics such as application security, regulatory compliance and banking customer confidence.
About ISMG: Based in Princeton, N.J., Information Security Media Group publishes BankInfoSecurity.com, CUInfoSecurity.com and GovInfoSecurity.com, which are one-stop portals for the latest news, insights and education on the top information security issues facing U.S. financial institutions and government agencies today. Through articles, webinars, podcasts, blogs and news alerts from federal regulatory agencies such as the FDIC, GAO, NCUA, NIST, OCC, FRB and OTS, the ISMG team is committed to providing up-to-date information on the security regulations, threats, solutions, training and career trends that most impact banks, credit unions, government agencies and other related enterprises. Leading companies supporting and benefiting from these initiatives include CA, Fortify, RSA Security, Secure Computing, Symantec and VeriSign.
About Regis University: Founded in 1877, Regis University, located in Denver, has been meeting the needs of traditional and adult students through innovative classroom-based and online programs centered in academic excellence. Regis University's commitment to the individual student is fostered through the heritage of a values-centered Jesuit education. The initiative for the study of Information Assurance (IA) originates at the School of Computer & Information Sciences (SCIS). Adult undergraduate students can obtain a specialization in E-Security while earning a major in a variety of Computer, Business and Science fields of study. The Master of Science in Information Assurance is one of five Master's degrees available to students.
About McAfee: As the largest dedicated security company in the world, and an employer of choice, McAfee is big enough to offer career opportunities on a global scale and yet small enough to care about individual ambitions. McAfee's mission is to proactively secure systems and networks from known and as yet undiscovered threats worldwide. Home users, businesses, service providers, government agencies, and partners all trust McAfee's unmatched security expertise and have confidence in their comprehensive and proven solutions to effectively block attacks and prevent disruptions. Whichever the area of expertise, for security focused, technology led careers, the future is with McAfee.