The Future of Cybersecurity Jobs: Careers That Don’t Exist Yet
Cyber security has become one of the most critical issues of our age. Once regarded as a technical problem confined to IT departments, it is now a board-level priority, a government mandate, and a daily necessity for individuals. The shift towards cloud services, remote working, connected devices, and artificial intelligence has dramatically increased the risks of digital attacks. In the UK, cyber security is central to national resilience. The government has identified cyber as a “tier one” threat to national security, alongside terrorism and pandemics. The private sector, from banks to retailers, now sees data breaches and ransomware as existential risks. Global spending on cyber security is projected to exceed $250 billion by 2030, with the UK already home to a thriving cyber industry employing tens of thousands. Yet, as powerful as the industry already is, we are only at the beginning. The technologies shaping the next two decades—AI, quantum computing, edge computing, extended reality, and biotechnology—will radically reshape cyber security. Many of the most vital cyber security jobs of the future don’t exist yet. This article explores why new roles will emerge, the careers likely to appear, how today’s jobs will evolve, why the UK is well-positioned, and how professionals can prepare now.
