Cyber security is booming. With data breaches affecting all sectors of industry, organizations are clamoring to hire IT security professionals.There’s a huge demand for cybersecurity, but a shortfall of qualified personnel. According to the New York Times, cybersecurity jobs will rise dramatically and there will be 3.5 million unfilled positions in 2021.
Who is the best Cyber Security career and why?
Cybersecurity covers a lot of ground. It involves a lot different skills, from basic tech support skills to auditing and IT to engineering to networking communication. You will also need to be able to communicate with people at all levels of the corporate ladder and have good presentation skills. While successful cybersecurity professionals may be skilled in many of these areas, they are not required to master them all. There are many places one can go in the world of cybersecurity.
Why you should become a Cybersecurity Professional
A Shortage of Cybersecurity ProfessionalsCybersecurity professionals worldwide face an ever-evolving threat aspect that many feel they are ill-equipped to manage. Cybersecurity continues to be a problem that undermines public trust in corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and others. Global Information Security Workforce Study (GISWS), a survey of 19,641 cybersecurity professionals from 170 countries, found that two-thirds of respondents do not have enough cybersecurity workers to meet current challenges. The Study this year shows that we are on track to have a cybersecurity workforce gap of approximately 1.8 million by 2022. This is a 20% increase from the 2015 forecast. It also provides insights and trends into how hiring managers respond to cybersecurity threats and what organizations can do in order to attract, enable, and retain the right talent to combat them.
Top Concerns Worldwide In 2015, 62% of information security professionals stated that they had too few workers to deal with the threats. This number has risen to 66% in 2017, with 66% saying they don’t have the staff to address the risks. This suggests that the shortage of information security professionals is increasing as more sectors recognize how important it is to deploy a skilled workforce to protect their data.
Understanding the Skill GapIn 2015 Frost & Sullivan estimated that there would be a 1.5 million shortage of workers by 2020. Based on data from recent events and changing industry dynamics, the forecast has been revised to a shortage of 1.8 million workers by 2022. This is evident in the high number of cyber security professionals around the world who claim that there is a shortage of workers. This trend is more prevalent in North America where 68% believe that there are not enough cybersecurity professionals in their department. The majority of professionals believe it is due to a shortage of qualified personnel.
Globally, Operations & Security Management is the most in-demand position. 62% of the workforce demonstrates that there are not enough people who hold this position. Forensics is 58% globally. The latter position is more in demand in LATAM (63%), the Middle East and Africa (665%), than any other. Despite managers’ efforts to increase hiring, historically demand has exceeded supply. Frost & Sullivan projects that this gap will continue to grow if current trends continue. Nearly 90% of the global workforce are male. This trend is not changing and most people who enter information security have a background in engineering or computer science. As evidenced by the rising number of professionals who feel there are not enough workers in their field, it is evident that traditional recruitment channels are not meeting demand for cybersecurity workers all over the globe.
Cybersecurity for Women Women are dominated by men. The GISWS Women in Cybersecurity outlines in detail the obstacles, including discrimination, that women face in this field. Young workers are more likely than their older counterparts to be less satisfied and to change jobs. Addressing the underrepresentation and growing faith among women in cybersecurity.