July 24, 2023
The cybersecurity workforce is becoming more diverse, but there is still a long way to go to attract and retain minority workers in the field. Although, cybersecurity workforce is growing, it is not enough to meet demand as skills gap is still present, and companies are struggling with worker retention due to burnout and high living costs in some areas.
According to (ISC)², a global nonprofit that provides cybersecurity certification and education, 66% of cyber professionals who joined the field in the last 12 months across Canada, the U.K., the U.S. and Ireland were not white.
This is a significant increase from the previous year, when only 50% of new entrants to the field were from minority groups. However, the cybersecurity workforce still remains overwhelmingly white. In the U.S., for example, white people make up 75% of the cybersecurity workforce.
The historical connection of cybersecurity with men contributes to its lack of diversity. Minority groups are particularly discouraged from entering the sector due to the stringent education and training requirements. To improve diversity, cybersecurity firms should deliberately hire from varied backgrounds and make education and training opportunities available to all.
The White House is developing a cybersecurity workforce strategy that could help to address the lack of diversity in the field. The strategy is expected to be released later this year.
The sources for this piece include an article in Axios.
