Cybersecurity Needs Workers
Shortage Growing Daily
The cybersecurity field needs more workers, quickly.
Right now, there are 507,924 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. and that number grows daily.
The gap is affecting people who are actively employed in cybersecurity, according to the third annual ESG/ISSA research report, The Life and Times of Cybersecurity Professionals.
The report, which interviewed 267 cybersecurity professionals and ISSA members, found that 74 percent of respondents felt the cybersecurity skills gap has impacted their firms “significantly” or “somewhat.”
Future projections show the gap widening.
This projection needs to be corrected quickly, considering the financial and reputational toll a cyberattack can take on any organization.
According to IBM Security Intelligence. the average price of a data breach in 2019 is $3.92 million.
So how does the industry bridge the gap? TalaTek believes the following steps are a start:
- Employers should focus on skills, not just degrees
- Encourage STEM education interest at an early age
- Promote and practice workplace diversity and inclusivity
- Invest in trainings and bootcamps to broaden cybersecurity skill sets
- Create a mentor and internship program for cyber professionals
- Sponsor and promote professional cybersecurity organizations