As Attacks Increase, More Cybersecurity Workers Needed

Business Corporate Protection Safety Security Concept

In October, the National Convergence Technology Center (CTC)showcased a Wall Street Journal article about “IT Workers in High Demand.” In November, we discovereda more specific IT need…cybersecurity workers. As cyber-attackers become more creative and more vicious, firms and companies are having trouble hiring skilled workers.

A recent article in CompTIA SmartBrief/CNBC reported that 4 million trained workers are needed to close the skills gap in cybersecurity according to the 2019 ISC2 Cyber Security Workforce Study. And what is more daunting, many candidates would rather work as contractors versus full-time staff.

You can download the entire ISC2 report here .

Here are some highlights from that report:

• In the US, nearly a half million workers needed to fill the cybersecurity shortage

• 65 percent of organizations report a shortage of cybersecurity staff, and more than a third (36%) say that skilled personnel is a top concern.

• The average North American salary for cybersecurity professionals is $90,000 a year.Roles vary from consultation, to developers creating cybersecurity programs, to risk and compliance

• The top security certifications held include CISSP (36%), CCNA Security (24%), and CCSP (18%). 55% reported that vendor-neutral certificates are very important, as opposed to 45% who reported vendor-specific certificates are very important.

• In North America, on average, holding a cybersecurity certification can increase one’s salary by $16,500.

• The global cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 145% to meet the demand for skilled talent. In the U.S. alone, it needs to grow by 62%.

• For now, cybersecurity professionals are more than twice as likely to be male. There is a huge untapped market for female cybersecurity professionals.

AS IT educators, you have what IT companies need, they’re sitting in your classrooms trying to determine why IT?  Inform them of their value and that companies are awaiting their skills. Help students understand the importance of their skills and the many opportunities and incentives at their fingertips. The demand could change at any time.