Business, government agencies and nonprofits all across the country face a critical skills shortage for trained cybersecurity professionals. In South Carolina alone, there are more than 2,000 unfilled job openings while on a national level there are nearly 300,000 more openings than available candidates. Given the high cost of a data breach or ransomware attack, organizations are more than willing to invest in the people they need to strengthen their defenses.

If you’re considering a move into this lucrative and necessary field, South Carolina’s colleges and universities are a great place to start your cybersecurity education. You can start with a two-year degree or move into bachelors and advanced degree programs while immersing yourself in cutting edge research programs.

High school students considering a cybersecurity career will want to take advantage of one of the cyber camps offered around the state. These camps combine hands-on learning with expert advise from South Carolina cybersecurity professionals.