ESTABLISH A PROFESSIONAL CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE New entrants to the cybersecurity workforce will be supported by: Industry-oriented Curriculum Good security requires highly-skilled practitioners with deep expertise. Today, there is a shortage of cybersecurity manpower around the world. Qualified professionals are in great demand as businesses pay more attention to cyber risks. This demand will only increase as the frequency and consequences of cyber threats continue to grow. To ensure that Singapore has an adequate and well-trained cybersecurity workforce, Singapore will: Encourage existing professionals to remain and further their development in the industry. We will institute clear career pathways, promote certification, and foster strong communities of practice; and Work with industry and IHLs to attract new graduates and convert existing professionals from related fields. IHLs will update their curriculum to be relevant to industry needs so as to facilitate the transition of new entrants to the workforce. We will offer cybersecurity scholarships and sponsorships to attract promising students. We will also offer up-skilling and re-skilling opportunities to cross-train mid-career professionals in cybersecurity for better job prospects. The cybersecurity profession is fast-paced and varied. There are opportunities to specialise in different areas. These include incident response, digital forensics and penetration testing for the technically inclined; threat and intelligence analysis for the analyst-atheart; and risk management and governance for the methodical change drivers. Regardless of specialisation, cybersecurity professionals from entry-level to C-suite positions are highly sought after as companies across many industries seek to secure their systems and data. The Government is committed to developing the cybersecurity industry as a source of good jobs for Singaporeans. Our universities and polytechnics already offer cybersecurity programmes for those keen to pursue a cybersecurity education. For example, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) offers a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Information and Communications Technology (Information Security), and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) offers a Masters in Cybersecurity. The Government will work with Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and industry partners to ensure that these programmes and curriculums continue to be relevant to the industry, with students learning and acquiring practical skills. In particular, the Ministry of Education (MOE) is launching a co-operative degree programme where students alternate between campus and company on a semester basis. The programme Scholarship and Sponsorship Programmes To strengthen the branding of cybersecurity, the Government will build on existing scholarship and sponsorship programmes. Overseas cybersecurity scholarships will be offered to promising students, and students with outstanding performance in IHLs will be given opportunities to further their education. 6th Singapore Cyber Conquest, Winner enables students to develop a deeper and practical understanding of their field of study by integrating work and study. Students may even be hired by the company from the outset. CSA will be one of the participating agencies in this programme and will be working with the partner universities to develop the cybersecurity degree curriculum and provide on-the-job training to successful applicants. Up-skill and Re-skill Opportunities We will facilitate the conversion of professionals in related fields to cybersecurity by building on the existing Cyber Security Associates and Technologies (CSAT) programme. In line with SkillsFuture, these professionals will be able to up-skill and re-skill themselves and be cross-trained in cybersecurity for better job prospects. Current professionals can look forward to: Defined Career Trajectory The growth of a capable, adept and competent workforce is sustained by attractive career prospects and a respected professional status. The Government will work with the industry to define a competency framework for cybersecurity professionals and it will be incorporated into the upcoming SkillsFuture Framework⁴ to be launched in 2017. This will allow professionals and employers to determine the types of skills and competencies required for different cybersecurity jobs, and to establish relevant training programmes and clearer career pathways accordingly. bring cybersecurity discussions into the boardroom. Larger companies could also define apex cybersecurity positions at the C-suite level. Companies are also encouraged to work with the Government to help cybersecurity professionals develop complementary skills such as risk management and communication. These will facilitate professionals in translating cybersecurity issues into enterprise risk considerations, and To further improve the standing of cybersecurity professionals, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) will work with industry partners to reach out to more companies, especially Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), to increase their awareness of what cybersecurity professionals do, and how they can contribute. The Government will take the lead in introducing a cybersecurity scheme of service for the public sector, with competitive remuneration and progression prospects. It will also train and develop cybersecurity specialists across the public sector. Internationally-recognised Certifications Cybersecurity professionals should deepen their skills and keep abreast of evolving technologies and best practices. One way to do so is to adopt internationally-recognised certifications in areas such as digital forensics, malware analysis and incident response. CREST Singapore (Council of Registered Ethical Security Testers), for example, offers certification for practising penetration testers in Singapore. Strong Communities of Practice To build a common identity and foster trust within the profession, the Government will work with industry associations such as the Association of Information Security Professionals (AISP) to introduce and build strong Communities of Practice for cybersecurity professionals in Singapore. ⁴ The Skills Framework is part of SkillsFuture, a national movement initiated by the Singapore Government in 2015 to help Singaporeans in skills development and skills mastery for the future. 36 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 3 37