WORKERS interested in joining the cybersecurity sector will soon get more help to gain the skills they need to find jobs, or advance in their careers, along with information on career pathways and training opportunities.
Launched on Tuesday (Jul 9) by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, the Skills Pathway for Cybersecurity was developed by the Singapore Computer Society (SCS) to foster the growth of skilled professionals in the cybersecurity sector.
“This will give individuals looking to transit into the cybersecurity sector a clear signal of the skills and certifications they need to acquire, and opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities to companies through internships and interviews,” said Chan.
“Participating employers will also have access to a wider pool of talent to meet business needs,” he added.
The initiative was developed in partnership with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), the Association of Information Security Professionals, as well as 13 industry employers.
They include cybersecurity provider Ensign InfoSecurity, sovereign wealth fund GIC, GovTech, technology services provider NCS, ST Engineering, Singapore Airlines, Singtel, healthtech company Synapxe, and Temasek.
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The agency and association, as well as the 13 employers, form an advisory committee which will ensure the “relevance and effectiveness of the initiative”, said SCS in a statement.
The initiative offers guidance to those thinking of entering the cybersecurity field, including mid-career workers looking to switch into a new industry.
Through the initiative, such workers can attend “employer-curated” training courses for four entry-level cybersecurity job roles and attain industry-recognised certification. There are also opportunities for workers to be considered for internships and job interviews.
The job roles are: cybersecurity operations centre analyst, cyber incident response and forensics analyst, cyber threat intelligence analyst and cyber penetration tester.
“While these are entry-level roles, the initiative offers opportunities to expand to other roles and career pathways in the cybersecurity field,” said SCS.
The full list of courses and certifications will be progressively added onto the MySkillsFuture website.
The Skills Pathway for Cybersecurity initiative will eventually support CSA’s national initiative to develop a professional framework for the cybersecurity workforce, similar to those established in other fields such as professional engineers and accountants.
This framework, which aims to raise the standards of the cybersecurity profession, was announced by Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How last October.
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) will support the initiative by allowing individuals to tap available funding support to offset out-of-pocket fees for the certifications’ training courses and examinations.
“This initiative demonstrates our commitment to building a strong cybersecurity workforce in Singapore,” said SCS president Sam Liew. “This employer-led initiative addresses the significant gap in the cybersecurity sector, ensuring training and certifications are aligned with industry needs.”
Said SSG chief executive Tan Kok Yam: “We are pleased that SCS has pioneered the Skills Pathway for Cybersecurity, for employers to clearly signal their cybersecurity skills requirements to potential employees, including mid-careerists looking to level up their career options.”
