When we think of cybercrime, we tend to think of hackers breaking into confidential files, scammers conning innocent civilians, or sophisticated gangs targeting multinational companies – or even government departments.
The flip side of this is a soaring demand for cybersecurity jobs to keep on top of the well-documented rise in cybercrime affecting businesses and consumers.
According to The CyberEdge 2022 Cyberthreat Defense Report (CDR) 81.4% of organisations in the UK experienced at least one cyber attack in 2021, compared to 71.1% in the previous annual findings.
According to government reports, there are now over 1,800 cybersecurity firms with operations in the UK. This includes tech and professional services giants such as Darktrace, EY, and Sophos, as well as smaller firms like 10Duke, Becrypt, and Activereach.
In the last 12 months, the sector’s revenue has grown to more than £10bn for the first time. But what is driving this growth aside from the growing number of cyberattacks?
Sector investment
First up is investment. Last year was a record for external investment into the sector – with over £1bn raised by firms across the UK.
In addition to this, the UK government is championing cybersecurity across the board with various initiatives. These include Cyber ASAP, which supports academics to commercialise their research, and Tech Nation Cyber, which is the UK’s first cyber scale-up programme. It supports companies poised for substantial growth at home and abroad. The Cyber101 programme delivers bootcamps around the country to help cyber SMEs develop essential business skills.
The biggest contributing factor is probably the UK’s highly educated workforce. According to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, more than 6,000 new jobs were added to the UK’s 50,000-strong cyber workforce over the last few years. It looks like this acceleration won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
Market size
The global cybersecurity market is projected to bring in over $500bn by 2030, according to a new study by Grand View Research Inc. So, if you want a career that’s got great earning potential (£46,255 average salary according to Indeed), sound job prospects, and plenty of room for growth then consider cybersecurity.
But, where are the top cybersecurity cities in the UK, and what companies are hiring at the moment? Let’s take a look.
London cybersecurity jobs
According to the United Nations Global Cybersecurity Index, London is the best city in Europe for cybersecurity professionals. But why?
London is home to defence companies including BAE Systems, Thales, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and Northrop Grumman. Along with these well-known companies comes a huge amount of investment and networking opportunities.
The city also has a steady pipeline of talent from top universities such as King’s College and nearby Cambridge. In fact, 27% of the UK’s cybersecurity workforce is based here.
If you’d like to join them, there is a compliance officer, VP role available at investment bank Citi. The right candidate will need a bachelor’s degree, knowledge of compliance laws, and strong interpersonal skills.
Reading cybersecurity jobs
Reading’s proximity to London and Heathrow airport has long attracted major multinationals, including Microsoft and Oracle. However, its startup community is also growing.
One of Reading’s big homegrown cybersecurity success stories is Datasift. Founded in 2010, Datasift is a privacy-by-design data and analytics platform. It was acquired by San Francisco-based Meltwater in March 2018, helping to cement the city’s cybersecurity bona fides.
The University of Reading has also been instrumental in encouraging tech companies and startups. In 2018, the university established the Thames Valley Science Park.
If you’d like to work in Reading, Liberty Global is on the hunt for a senior cybersecurity analyst who can demonstrate taking ownership of, and responsibility for resolving issues. To apply, you’ll need experience working within a security operations centre, Splunk reporting and analysis, as well as experience in SIEM operation and configuration.
Cardiff cybersecurity jobs
Wales has a thriving cybersecurity sector. The country has two universities, Cardiff and USW, that are recognised by the National Cyber Security Centre as Academic Centres of Excellence in either research or teaching.
Earlier this year, the Welsh government announced that a new cyber innovation hub to help Wales become a global leader in this sector will be launched, thanks to £3m investment from the Welsh Government.
The hub is being led by Cardiff University with partners including Airbus, Alacrity Cyber, CGI, Thales NDEC, and Tramshed Tech, and will train more than 1,000 cyber-skilled individuals by 2030.
Starling Bank is hiring in Cardiff for a senior penetration tester. You’ll work with some of the industry’s most talented cybersecurity professionals to protect customers, company assets, and systems using the latest technologies and techniques.
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This article is part of a paid partnership with careers marketplace Jobbio to share the most exciting UK tech jobs with UKTN readers.
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