Cyber security boot camps, also known as security bootcamps, are structured and intensive programs designed to help students gain key skills in information technology security that will help them prevent and resolve corporate IT security incidents and data breaches.
Cybercrime has exploded in recent years, and damages are expected to reach $6 trillion or more by 2021. The dramatic increase in cyberattacks has resulted in the need for cyber security boot camps and security certification programs to aid in providing qualified professionals with the knowledge and experience to help companies protect their networks and data from hacking attempts and data breaches.
High-Paying Opportunities Abound for Cyber Security Professionals
With information technology security skills in such high demand, cyber security is one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation. As a result, cyber security professionals typically command a strong salary, earning just under six figures a year on average.
Cyber security boot campers frequently pursue job titles such as Network Security Engineer, IT Security Analyst, Cyber Security Analyst, Cyber Security Consultant, Data Security Analyst, Cryptographer, and Security Sales Engineer.
A strong foundation in information technology and cyber security experience can also lead to a career path that culminates in a high-level security role such as Information Systems Security Manager or Chief Security Officer / Chief Information Security Officer, where salary ranges can reach $200,000 per year or more.
While some employers require their cyber security employees to have a security certification such as CompTIA Security+ or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certifications, in recent years companies have found a shortage in qualified employees and as a result have increasingly looked favorably at cyber security boot camps and other forms of information technology security education and experience.
Popular Cyber Security Boot Camps and Prerequisites for Them
Some of the most popular cyber security boot camp services today are Evolve Security Academy, SecureSet Academy, DevLeague, Cyber Retraining Academy, Open Cloud Academy, and Software Guild. These services typically provide courses that range from 10 weeks up to 30 weeks or more, with the boot camps costing anywhere from $1000 up to $20,000.
Security boot camp attendees are expected to have a background in information technology, with at least one or two years of IT experience, a general understanding of networking, and knowledge and use of one or more scripting languages like HTML, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, Perl, PHP, or Python.
Both online and on-premises cyber security boot camps are available, and many have both part-time and full-time options. A variety of topics and courses are provided, including risk assessment, vulnerability detection and threat mitigation, ethical hacking, full-stack development, system administration, computer and application programming, and advanced programming and coding.
