The Cyber Security Workforce Must Grow 145%
Although cyber security training has been increasing there is still an acute skills shortage and the cyber workforce equiped with the right expertise needs to get a lot bigger. To fill the current talent gap for cybersecurity experts, the cybersecurity workforce would need to grow 145%, according to (ISC)², a membership association for cybersecurity professionals.
Right now, there are almost 3 million professionals work in cyber development and security in different parts of the world and there is a current requirement for an additional 4 million cyber employees to reduce the skills gap and properly defend organisations, according to the 2019 ISC2 Cyber Security Workforce Study.
- Cybersecurity firms are having trouble attracting and keeping skilled workers to help protect networks.
- The global non-profit is the largest association of certified cybersecurity professionals.
- The data reveals that in the US alone, nearly a half million workers would be needed to fill the shortage.
- The labor market is a challenge, and mentality among workers has shifted, with many candidates wanting to work as contractors instead of full-time staff.
The Report
‘A shortage in the global cybersecurity workforce continues to be a problem for companies in all industries and of all sizes. In fact, this shortage remains the number one job concern for those working in the field. That’s not surprising given that 2018 was “the year of the mega-breach.”
Municipalities are getting hit hard by ransomware, and mobile malware attacks have doubled.
In an era of high-pro le data breaches and devastating cyberattacks, cybersecurity impacts every individual and every organization. But (ISC)2 research also shows that those in the field are optimistic that those challenges can be overcome, if organisations take the right approach to growing the workforce and building strong cybersecurity teams.
For the first time, the main goal of the (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study was not only to assess the current global cybersecurity workforce gap, but also to estimate the total current number of cybersecurity professionals in the US and in 10 other major global economies.
Performing this workforce calculation gives organisations worldwide a better understanding of what’s required for success in the cybersecurity age.
By combining the workforce estimates with gap data, for example, we know that the global cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 145% to meet the demand for skilled cybersecurity talent. In the US specifically, it needs to grow 62%.’
The Report also estimates the global cyber workforce per country and this is some of the information presented:
The estimated cyber security worker in Australia are 107k, Brazil 486k, Canada 84k, France 121k, Germany 133k, Japan 193k, Mexico 341k, Singapore 43k, South Korea 210k, UK 289k and US 805k.
The Cybersecurity Workforce Study shows that these cybersecurity and IT professionals are generally satis ed in their careers and optimistic about their futures. But the size of the current workforce still leaves a significant gap between the number of cybersecurity professionals working in the field and the number needed to keep organisations safe.
The cybersecurity workforce gap has increased since last year, primarily due to a global surge in hiring demand. In the US, the cybersecurity workforce gap is nearly 500,000.
By combining the US cybersecurity workforce estimates and this gap data, they can calculate that the cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 62% in order to meet the demands of US businesses today.
Using the workforce estimate of 2.8 million based on the 11 economies for a workforce estimate and the global gap estimate of 4.07 million, therefore the global workforce needs to grow by 145%.
The most direct near-term solution for building a strong team is to recruit and hire new professionals. That’s the approach half of the represented organisations plan to take over the next year.
New graduates and people looking to change careers are two primary sources, but organisations also respect the knowledge that comes from experience and they aree looking for relevant and extensive work experience, advanced knowledge of concepts, and cybersecurity certification.
You Might Also Read:
Britain's Workforce Has Too Few High Level Cyber Skills:
