If you haven’t heard, “new collar jobs” are a new genre of roles requiring a combination of technical skills without the need for a specialised degree.
They’re gaining traction with employers, who are realising that formal education is not always the best indicator of capability — what truly matters is whether a candidate has the right skills and mindset to perform in a fast-evolving workplace.
According to Aarti Budhrani, Director, Technology Practice at Michael Page, technology roles are at the forefront of digital transformation, driving innovation and efficiency across industries.
The demand for skilled technology professionals continues to rise. Businesses are seeking individuals who are capable of developing, securing, and optimising digital solutions.
These positions require expertise in emerging technologies alongside a strong analytical and problem-solving mindset.
She shares more about a key new-collar role in the sector, and useful tips for jobseekers and career switchers about it.
Why are Cybersecurity Analysts considered “new collar”?
Cybersecurity is a “new collar” role due to its reliance on certifications and practical skills, rather than academic degrees. The rising frequency of cyberattacks, data breaches, and evolving regulations have created a growing need for cybersecurity specialists to protect organisations and ensure compliance.
What has changed that has led to this role becoming prominent and needed?
With increasing threats from ransomware and phishing attacks, businesses require professionals skilled in network security, penetration testing, risk assessment, and cloud security. The ever-evolving cybersecurity threats will require industry experts to be current with the latest knowledge and security measures to keep companies up to date with the latest measures.
What are the career and salary prospects of this role?
With the rise of AI comes AI-powered threats in the cybersecurity world. Cybercriminals are leveraging generative AI to craft more convincing phishing attacks, deepfakes, and malware.
As attacks become more sophisticated, defenders must adopt AI-driven threat detection tools to stay ahead.
As businesses increasingly migrate to the cloud, securing multi-cloud environments is now a top priority. Misconfigurations and lack of visibility remain key risks. Demand for professionals with cloud security expertise (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) is on the rise.
We are seeing entry-level salaries ranging from $80,000-$110,000.
What are the skillsets required to take up this role?
Key skills include ethical hacking, network security, cloud security, risk assessment.
For mid-career switchers, what is necessary to move from another industry or job into this role?
Mid-career switchers can transition by obtaining certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH, gaining hands-on experience through ethical hacking labs, and familiarising themselves with security frameworks like NIST and ISO 27001.
This article was done in collaboration with Michael Page.
