By Shilpi Jain

Over the past couple of decades, humanity has been steadily going towards more digitization in everyday life. This can be seen in the way that we live our daily lives where smartphones have become ubiquitous for just about every activity in our lives. In fact, governments the world over have also increasingly been moving onto digital platforms for better operational efficiency. This technological advancement has brought many positive effects, but it has also brought with it some teething problems, especially when it comes to cybersecurity in the computing world.  

Moreover, with the advent of the cloud and other such cutting-edge technologies, increased dependency on cybersecurity will further lead to the steady increase in the demand for cybersecurity professionals. With Big corporations and governments constantly looking out for such professionals, leading tech institutes and online platforms have introduced both short-term and specialized courses for both freshers and professionals. 

Here are top four courses in Cyber Security that can turn Cybersecurity aspirants into cybersecurity professionals with the right knowledge and skills to make a successful career transition.  

Executive Post Graduate Certification in Cyber Security and Ethical Hacking by IIT Roorkee iHub and Intellipaat – The executive post graduate certification in ethical hacking consists of multiple modules completed over 11 months, culminating in a career-advancing capstone project. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of networks, SOC, application security, risk analysis, and mitigation through live classes conducted by industry experts and master classes led by IIT faculty.

10 months program by MIT | xPro – A 10-month programme by MIT | xPro focuses on giving learners cutting-edge skills in cybersecurity. The course includes Insights and case studies from renowned MIT faculty and certification from MIT xPRO. Learners will also get the chance to hone market-ready cybersecurity skills in a high-growth market. There is a capstone presentation project included in the course to share with potential employers.

Cybersecurity and ethical hacking courses by Udemy – Udemy, a leading e-learning platform, has several cybersecurity and ethical hacking courses for learners to choose from. The best thing is that these courses are divided into bite-sized chunks that allow learners to learn at their own pace and comfort.

Eight weeks’ program by FutureLearn – Cybersecurity is vital in this day and age and this course by FutureLearn aims to provide you with all the necessary skills to make a successful career transition. Enroll in The Open University’s eight-week course led by Cory Doctorow to gain valuable knowledge on identifying potential online security threats that could put your personal information at risk. You will also learn about effective measures to minimize your risk and keep your data safe. This course is backed by the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Programme and has received NCSC Assured Training and IISP accreditation, ensuring that you receive professional and informative training.

With a demand-supply gap at 30%, the cyber security industry is currently witnessing a major skill challenge. Further, to effectively combat evolving cyber threats, organizations have felt that there is a dire need to focus on upskilling the workforce with a broader range of cybersecurity skills. To address their ongoing requirement for cybersecurity specialists, companies are looking for experts with specializations in data privacy, cloud security, AI security, and network security. 

In conclusion, a course in cybersecurity is more than an educational endeavor. With growing demand and never-ending digital threat, a professional course can help not only in one’s professional trajectory but in creating a secure and resilient cyber environment for a better tomorrow.

The author is COO and co-founder of Intellipaat. Views are personal.