Finding and keeping cyber-talent is a top global concern for public- and private-sector organizations alike. Yet, the prevailing theory among industry analysts is that there is a talent crisis, with ‘experts’ predicting that by 2022 there will be more than 1.8 million unfilled jobs.
The above graphic highlights one of the industry’s most glaring shortcomings: Everyone wants to hire cybersecurity pros, but no one wants to develop, guide, instruct and enhance the career effectiveness of inexperienced/entry-level candidates. It’s a self-destructive, self-refuelling, self-fulfilling prophecy – And it NEEDS to STOP! We simply don’t have an assembly line of top-tier, experienced cyber pros to choose from.
So how do we develop the next generation of cybersecurity leaders? What are some of the individual actions veteran security leaders can take? How do we help those without the finances to obtain expensive security training and certifications? What role does the government have to play?
There are multiple dimensions to the institutionalisation of cyber capacity building. For example, there’s a national response and an enterprise response — and ideally the two should be coordinated (but most often are not).
There are established commercial training and certification programs, which can verify the capabilities of individuals. However, while these certifications can be used to get hired, organizations still have to continuously invest in their employees’ development. This is particular important given how rapidly the threat landscape changes.
From a national perspective, capabilities need to be developed to build trust in the online systems that underpin the digital economy. Part of building trust is creating a workforce of cyber pros to address key threats. Government should create a workforce development program as part of a national cybersecurity strategy, and it should address training at the college, university and professional certification levels.
But in the absence of such actions by corporations or countries, we cybersecurity leaders need to take up the charge. We need to commit to mentoring as many young professionals as we humanly can. It’s not only incumbent upon us to support their career progress, but also to give back to the profession as well as contribute to the overall trust model that underpins the global Internet. Let’s do our part!
Niel Harper 