Cybersecurity Careers Should Start Before University

Ask a teenager what jobs exist in technology and you’ll probably hear programmer, software engineer or perhaps data scientist. Ask about cybersecurity and the picture can become considerably fuzzier. Maybe “hacker” makes an appearance, usually wearing an imaginary hoodie.

That perception matters because Indonesia needs a much larger pool of people who see cybersecurity as a realistic career before they have to choose one.

Komdigi has started pushing cybersecurity education further down the talent pipeline. In May, its Digital Human Resources Development Agency provided Basic Cyber Security training to 124 students at SMKN 2 Depok, covering digital security awareness and preparation for a technology-driven workplace.

The direction is also appearing internationally. NIST’s NICE program updated its September webinar on 2 September with a specific focus on preparing students for future cyber careers. One part examines how K–12 education can introduce skills connected to immediate workforce realities such as cloud security and generative AI.

Cybersecurity education is moving earlier because the work itself isn’t waiting.

Exposure Before Specialisation

Starting earlier doesn’t mean asking 15-year-olds to become penetration testers before their next mathematics exam.

The first objective is exposure.

Students can begin with concepts that make cybersecurity tangible and show them what the profession actually involves:

• How networks and digital identities work
• Why systems become vulnerable
• How phishing and social engineering manipulate people
• What happens during a cyber incident
• How defenders investigate suspicious activity
• Why cloud and AI systems create different security questions

Once students understand the problems cybersecurity professionals solve, the career becomes less abstract.

Indonesia already has a natural entry point through vocational education. Komdigi’s Vocational Blended Learning program has also been assessing SMK students against SKKNI-based competencies. During June alone, 99 students from six vocational schools in Bekasi participated in competency certification across several digital disciplines.

The Gap Between Knowing and Doing

Exposure, however, eventually has to become practice.

A student can memorize what phishing is in roughly the time it takes to finish a cup of coffee. Recognising a convincing phishing attempt, investigating where it came from and deciding what to do next requires a different kind of learning.

That’s why practical environments matter as students progress. Labs, simulations, competitions and cyber ranges allow learners to turn concepts into observable skills.

Komdigi made a similar point when supporting the Country-to-Country Capture the Flag competition in Bali in August. The event brought together 81 participants from 13 countries to test technical abilities against cybersecurity scenarios rather than simply discuss them.

The talent pipeline becomes stronger when those experiences connect: early exposure creates interest, structured learning builds foundations and realistic practice develops capability.

That progression is also relevant to ITSEC Cyber & AI Academy. Practical cybersecurity and AI training can provide the next step for learners and professionals who need to turn foundational knowledge into skills they can use in real working environments.

Indonesia needs millions more digital talents by 2030. Waiting until people enter the workforce before introducing cybersecurity makes that challenge unnecessarily harder.

Sometimes the first cybersecurity lesson needs to happen while there’s still a school bell at the end of it.

Explore practical cybersecurity and AI training at ITSEC Cyber & AI Academy.

References: Komdigi: Basic Cyber Security Training for SMK Students, 21 May 2026 · NIST NICE: Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Cyber Careers, updated 2 September 2026 · BPT Komdigi: Vocational Blended Learning Certification, 3 July 2026 · Komdigi: C2C-CTF 2026