(BPT) - Whether you're in school, just graduating, or seeking a career change, your best bet is to consider positions that are in a growing field. One great example: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs such as information security analysts who focus on cybersecurity are estimated to grow 35% between 2021 and 2031.[1]

Why is cybersecurity such a big deal? Due to fast-growing technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and quantum computing, companies large and small are understaffed and ill-equipped to handle these rapid technological changes and the security threats involved - or their current staff may be in dire need of upskilling just to keep up with this accelerated evolution.

While the U.S. government's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is marking the 20th anniversary of Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October with the theme, "It's easy to stay safe online," the truth about cybersecurity is much more complicated. Cybersecurity Ventures predicts damages of $8 trillion due to cybercrime globally this year alone. Organizations and businesses of all sizes continue to be victims of cybercrime, so the need to hire well-educated cybersecurity professionals with up-to-date knowledge and skills has never been greater.

"The number of unfilled roles in cybersecurity grew 350% between 2013 and 2021. At the same time, cybersecurity attacks continue to rise with over 800,000 known attacks a year. This affects day-to-day lives, our economy, and our national security," said DeVry University's Chief Information Security Officer, Fred Kwong. "Higher education institutions and businesses must strive to make cybersecurity education and career pathways available to everyone. Without enough talent to quickly fill these roles, companies will continue to be at risk of these attacks."

Moreover, the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) bring new opportunities as well as challenges to the field of cybersecurity. For instance, AI's power capabilities to make the most technologically savvy tasks easier for anyone to perform will give way to an increase in threat actors, around-the-clock breaching attempts, and more realistic, personable attack vectors. Thus, future cybersecurity professionals will need to know how to leverage tools for network monitoring and AI-powered threat detection to defend their organizations.

How can you learn the skills needed to join this field?

If pursuing a career in information technology and cybersecurity sounds exciting, here is one option to help you get started.

Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program at DeVry University

Designed to help students pursuing cybersecurity programs and preparing to pursue technology careers, the Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program offered exclusively to DeVry University and Keller students gives you the resources and support you need to prepare to stand out as a cybersecurity professional.

In this program, eligible undergraduate and graduate students can:

• Learn about training, events, conferences and networking opportunities hosted by leading industry organizations.
• Earn badges for completing leadership series courses and access industry-relevant content through LibGuide.
• Have opportunities to participate on DeVry's National Cyber League competition team and join DeVry's National Chapter of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).
• Get the cybersecurity career support you need with access to job search resources and opportunities, including internships, apprenticeships and full-time positions.

Enrollment in the Scholars Program

Students who meet all the following initial eligibility criteria will be automatically enrolled in the Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program:

• Individual is a new, readmitted, resuming or continuing student
• Student is enrolled in or will be enrolled in an eligible cybersecurity program
• Student meets DeVry Admission and/or Keller Entrance requirements

Interested? Visit DeVry.edu for more information.

Leading the way with AI learning

Striving to fulfill their mission to prepare learners to thrive in a technology-driven workforce, DeVry University's unique Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab will help transform academic potential into academic performance and advance learner ambition. DeVry is also reinforcing its commitment to helping close the opportunity gap by providing education tailored to address the needs of the AI-driven workplace, including a course in AI and machine learning (ML) which is now embedded in six degrees and two certificate programs.

"The exponential growth of AI is reshaping industries across the board, impacting the way we work, and we must empower our workforce with the skills to not just adapt but thrive," said Chief Information Officer Chris Campbell, DeVry University. "Our goal is to equip individuals at any career stage with the knowledge and expertise to leverage AI effectively. By doing so, we create a workforce that can harness AI's power to drive innovation and efficiency across all sectors."

To learn more, check out DeVry's AI Resource Center at DeVry.edu/ai-resource-center.