Careers in Cybersecurity
Join forward thinking enthusiasts from across the country for careers in organizations that carry a high demand for cyber experts and encompass the R.C.M.P., Communications Security Establishment, IBM, Irdeto, Financial Institutions, Government and a host of additional industries that all require your cyber expertise. For more information on careers, please review an extensive report on careers in cybersecurity by Deloitte or visit cyber.cs.queensu.ca for the Queen's University /RMC NSERC CREATE Cybersecurity Program.
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Olivia Rockeman, *Bloomberg*, 30 Mar 2022, via ACM TechNews
Cybersecurity jobs search platform CyberSeek estimates roughly 600,000 vacant U.S. cybersecurity positions, including 560,000 private-sector jobs. The pandemic compounded a shortfall of cybersecurity professionals, while phishing and ransomware attacks escalated due to many employees using their home networks and computers. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management's Stuart Madnick cites a lack of qualified cybersecurity workers, while Bryan Palma at cybersecurity company Trellix said nations like Russia and China host better talent pipelines at the government level of people trained in cybersecurity. Max Shuftan at the SANS Institute cybersecurity training organization said the worker shortage especially impacts smaller organizations like civilian public agencies, most of which cannot match private companies' pay. As a result, Shuftan warned, "They're probably not going have the staff and that makes them more vulnerable to attacks."
Cybersecurity jobs search platform CyberSeek estimates roughly 600,000 vacant U.S. cybersecurity positions, including 560,000 private-sector jobs. The pandemic compounded a shortfall of cybersecurity professionals, while phishing and ransomware attacks escalated due to many employees using their home networks and computers. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management's Stuart Madnick cites a lack of qualified cybersecurity workers, while Bryan Palma at cybersecurity company Trellix said nations like Russia and China host better talent pipelines at the government level of people trained in cybersecurity. Max Shuftan at the SANS Institute cybersecurity training organization said the worker shortage especially impacts smaller organizations like civilian public agencies, most of which cannot match private companies' pay. As a result, Shuftan warned, "They're probably not going have the staff and that makes them more vulnerable to attacks."
Overview of the NSERC CREATE Cybersecurity Program
brought to you by Queen's University and Royal Military College

Canada has a desperate shortage of trained cybersecurity personnel at all levels and woman make up only 10% of Canada's cyber workforce. The Information and Communications Technology Council projects growth in information security positions in Canada from 12K in 2016 to at least 14K in 2019. Internationally, Cybersecurity Ventures, synthesizing employment figures from the media, analysts, job boards, vendors, governments, and organizations globally, predicts 3.5M cybersecurity job openings worldwide by 2021.
Few academics conduct research in cybersecurity and train HQP to innovate in operational cybersecurity in banks, government, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and businesses that operate in online environments. There is also limited capacity to educate the public to safely navigate an online world. Some research institutes focus on cybersecurity, and several universities offer graduate courses, but there are limited graduate training opportunities in the field apart from a world-class program at the Royal Military College, which has historically admitted few civilians.
Few academics conduct research in cybersecurity and train HQP to innovate in operational cybersecurity in banks, government, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and businesses that operate in online environments. There is also limited capacity to educate the public to safely navigate an online world. Some research institutes focus on cybersecurity, and several universities offer graduate courses, but there are limited graduate training opportunities in the field apart from a world-class program at the Royal Military College, which has historically admitted few civilians.
Program Highlights
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Queen's University and Royal Military College have teamed up together to offer a comprehensive and exciting program that will lead to a unique career in the strategic and ever challenging world of cybersecurity.
Dr. David Skillicorn, Principal Investigator and Professor for the NSERC CREATE Cybersecurity Program, has specialized in cybersecurity for over 25 years and is often sought after by the media and security organizations for his knowledge and contributions made to the world of cybersecurity.
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PhD graduates of the program will conduct leading-edge research to keep Canada safer, and will train our next generation of skilled cybersecurity specialists. Master's graduates will play a key role in solving the urgent and important cybersecurity challenges facing government, critical infrastructure, private industry, and individual Canadians.
All participants will benefit from a program designed and developed by a team of expert researchers at RMC and Queen's, and will have the opportunity to hone their skills in unique annual training exercises: "Capture the Flag," modelled on the US National Security Agency Cyber Defence Exercise competition, and a tabletop cybersecurity response exercise. These exercises will integrate technical learning, social context and team leadership in a single task. Becoming a cybersecurity expert will give you the opportunity to protect your family and your country against cyber crime, cyber attacks and cyber bullying. |