Data protection expertise remains valued, in high demand

There can be little doubt, in this digital age, that data - our personal data - is being collected, used, disclosed, transferred, stored and disposed of on a daily basis.

For many of us, our interactions with one another, whether in school, at work, or at play, and with corporations of varying size inevitably involve the use of data. In fact, data is the lifeblood of many businesses today, the most successful of which harness massive amounts of that data to predict or induce your behaviour as a consumer.

More Data Privacy legislation in place

Personal data, governed increasingly by data privacy laws in more and more jurisdictions, including highly anticipated legislation in China, could include sensitive information such as personally identifiable information, national identification numbers, credit card numbers; for businesses, this could encompass intellectual property, corporate financial records, and the personal data of their customers.

Find the right data privacy career path for you by reading our article on the learning roadmap for individuals seeking to enhance their data protection competencies.

Also, read about the 5 Data Protection Trends of 2021 to get a better understanding of why data protection expertise remains in high demand.

To safeguard this data, to prevent inadvertent exposure or ward off malicious attacks by cyber criminals and bad actors, businesses are increasingly in need of data protection expertise, both in-house and outsourced - data protection as-a-service (DPaaS) consultancy, software/platforms and services are proliferating to meet such demand.

Failure to protect the personal data of users could see stiff enforcement outcomes for businesses, especially those that deal with data of customers in multiple regions and territories.

Need for more Data Protection Professionals

According to an annual data protection job demand report by Data Protection Excellence (DPEX) Centre, the learning and research arm of Straits Interactive, market demand for data protection jobs increased by 106% in 2020 compared to 2019. Reports elsewhere seem to indicate a global shortage of privacy experts in recent times, with many industries in the midst of digital disruption and transformation.

Currently, there are well over 10,000 job listings in Singapore that include the term “data protection” with their job titles or job descriptions. 

Among these listings, a curated selection of which can be viewed on DPEX Network, are job titles including Data Protection Officer, Regional Privacy Officer, Group Data Office - Data Governance, Trust & Safety Head of Compliance, and Associate - Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC).

To keep up to date with data protection job listings, and on the competencies and certifications that hiring managers are seeking, visit the Data Protection Jobs and Projects section of the DPEX Network website.

Average salaries on the rise

Research published this year by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) also shows that the average salary for a privacy professional has, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, grown since 2019 by more than 4.6%, with the median salary at US$126,000.

As we expect the work-from-home policies to continue into the “new normal” of a post-pandemic world, and for more cases of data breaches to arise from intrusive mobile apps, not to mention more sophisticated and persistent cyber threats, the importance of data protection professional competencies and certifications, at both individual and organisational levels, will continue to loom large.

Sign up for a free DPEX network membership to access the Singapore Data Protection Job Demand research here and look out for more upcoming research on job trends.

Article by: Yong Shu Chiang

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official view or position of DPEX Network.