With nearly two-thirds of companies experiencing a shortage of dedicated cybersecurity staff, competition could get fierce
The cybersecurity workforce, comprised of 2.8 million professionals, will need to increase by 145 percent to meet the demand for skilled cybersecurity talent, according to a new report from global nonprofit association (ISC)².
The organization’s study found 65 percent of companies have a shortage of cybersecurity team members. Cybersecurity professionals say their top concern is the lack of skilled and experienced IT security personnel.
Less than half (48 percent) of the individuals responsible for security and cybersecurity in North America, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region who participated in the survey indicated they started their career in cybersecurity. Fifty-eight percent moved into the field from other disciplines.
Companies’ current cybersecurity talent recruiting efforts are focused on new university graduates (28 percent) and people working as consultants or contractors (27 percent).
Some are also strengthening their cybersecurity team by training employees within their organization — an approach previous (ISC)² research found 70 percent of organizations have prioritized in the past.
More than three-quarters (81 percent) of the 2019 survey participants feel they’ll need additional certifications or training to prepare for future cybersecurity roles. Forty-eight percent of organizations say their security training budget will increase within the next year.
More information about anticipated future cybersecurity workforce needs can be found in the full report.