Smith said there are both individual and business incentives for becoming certified.

"I have always done certifications based on the needs of the business I am working for and with the needs of the changing IT landscape," he said.

"Certifications for an employee are great because they are industry recognized and therefore they make you a lot more attractive as an employee, while for the business they can boast about having highly experienced staff.

"The knowledge you have becomes a lot scarcer the higher certified you are, and business pays and charges a lot more for that."

Kleef, who is about halfway through a Master's of Information Security at Charles Sturt University said although most people become certified for knowledge and job security, there are definite pay incentives.