Demand for generalist cyber security job roles is losing importance gradually and being replaced by specialised positions. You might be considering your next step in cyber security to land a more lucrative job in the industry in 2021. How about ICT Security Expert? As an ICT Security Expert, you will leverage a thorough understanding of cyber threats, technologies as well as countermeasures to ensure secure computer systems and make sure accurate security tools are running properly. After all, workforce demand for ICT Security Experts is high across all organisational structures and verticals.

Why do companies need ICT Security Experts?

Despite the increasing sophistication of cyber threats, there are not enough experts equipped with adequate knowledge, competencies, and skills to protect the information technology for strategic advantage. Organisations lack the training and tools to build an effective and sustainable defense. Hence, the urgent need to better secure digital assets and systems becomes more apparent each day. A solid approach that incorporates best practice across policy, technology as well as people are critically necessary to boost the security posture of organisations.

ICT Security Expert salary in Switzerland

ICT Security Experts are an essential player in ensuring that information and data are protected against illegal access. The location factor for Switzerland also plays an important role, as the image of Switzerland being a reliable country is maintained. ICT Security Experts make an important contribution to this.

Switzerland’s position as a high-tech location makes this country an ideal place to foster digital trust. Did you know that nearly 118.000 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) specialists will be needed in Switzerland by 2028? Digital technologies are regularly evolving and the ICT sector is of strategic economic significance to Switzerland. The average annual salary for an ICT Security Expert in Switzerland typically falls between CHF 125.000 and CHF 165.000.

How can Swiss Cyber Academy support you?

A fundamental component of Swiss Cyber Forum, the Swiss Cyber Academy takes pride in being the hub dedicated to helping individuals and organizations learn and improve their ability to prevent cybercrimes in Switzerland and throughout the world. Swiss Cyber Academy offers the most intensive and up-to-date ICT Security Expert course. This program prepares professionals from all industries for the federal examination.

This course is developed specifically for full-time working professionals. It will help busy professionals learn faster and more efficiently, and use best practice and technologies to improve the collaborative learning experience and develop rapport among program participants.

How does this education program compare with other security programs?

One of the biggest distinctive features of this program is that its course content is based on the ICT Berufsbildung Competence Framework and it highlights the following 6 main competence areas:

• Business Management
• Project Management
• Security / Risk Management
• Service Management
• System Management
• Network Management

Besides that, the structure of the ICT Security Expert course is designed by globally recognized academics and industry experts, with practice-oriented case studies and cyber incident challenges.

Key learnings of our ICT Security Expert course

ICT Security Expert course explores information security from a dynamic viewpoint, educates participants from anchoring the security strategy to advanced Information Security Management System (ISMS). The course will particularly cover:

• Reducing risks in information security to the level specified by the management and board of directors;
• Identifying possible gaps in the security strategy and develop measures to close these gaps;
• Advising the crisis management team of the organisation in all matters relating to the security of information and communication technology;
• Creating security awareness at all levels by developing and implementing appropriate security campaigns;
• Skills to work independently and assume various functions within organisation;
• Tools and frameworks to manage projects, act in an advisory capacity, and contribute expertise in teams.

In order to better understand the realistic application of theoretical principles, participants will form teams to discuss and reflect on class content, and participate in exam simulations. They can receive input from course instructors and lecturers, including outside of core videos and exercises, discussions, and webinars.

How to prepare for the Federal exam?

The lessons will take place in two learning formats: weekly 6-hours online classroom and self-paced learning. Each week you will engage in a mixture of presentations or rich content augmented by material which you can download in full. Real-life examples and quizzes will help you understand how concepts delivered in the course material can be applied to your work environment. Knowledge of English is required for the study of technical literature. Those who take the federal examination are entitled to a refund of 50% of the course fee by the Confederation.

Additional information

The safety of an organization’s information is always under threat! Consequently, the ICT Security Expert must always be ready to adapt to new threats. They are engaged in a constant learning process, testing new technologies and implementing new security strategies in their own area of responsibility. The ICT Security Expert is ready to innovate and to exchange knowledge with other specialists. Such networks must be built and supported by the ICT Security Expert.

The Academic Director of this program is Prof. Dr. Barbara Endicott-Popovsky, Director of the Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity at the University of Washington. Her research interests include Information Assurance (IA), cybersecurity, and digital forensics. You will have an opportunity to talk and get advice from her anytime you need it.