Recent data breaches, ranging from the Pegasus malware intrusion to the WannaCry and NotPeyta outbreaks, have highlighted the importance of a strong cybersecurity plan for all businesses, large and small. Despite this, most firms continue to face a cybersecurity skills gap: there are simply not enough trained workers in these areas to fulfil demand. This is illustrated by the fifth annual industry research, “The Life and Times of Cybersecurity Professionals 2021,” from the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and analyst Enterprise Strategy Group ESG, which demonstrates that the cybersecurity skills gap has not improved.

Recognize the cybersecurity skills gap and how education might help to close it. Despite the fact that the cybersecurity business is expected to grow in size every year from now until 2022, there is still a global worker deficit of millions. Employing more cybersecurity personnel is an urgent concern for both firms wishing to hire in-house and cybersecurity agencies alike, with a 280 per cent increase in large-scale data breaches in the first quarter of 2020 alone.

According to the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, there are now over 4.07 million cybersecurity job openings worldwide. There are just not enough qualified cybersecurity specialists to cover the skills gap, despite high entry salary, recession-proof job stability, and numerous career prospects.

What is the cause of the cybersecurity skills shortage?

The perception of a profession in cybersecurity is one of the most pressing concerns facing the business. Individuals frequently believe that the only way to get a job in technology is to get a four-year degree from a university or college, which needs them to have the time and prerequisite abilities to be admitted. However, due to rising college expenses, many people who have the potential to be cybersecurity specialists are priced out of obtaining the necessary credentials.

The consequences of a cybersecurity skills shortage.

The cybersecurity skills gap is, without a doubt, a disaster.

Because there are so few competent cybersecurity specialists entering the job market, those who do are rapidly hired by larger organisations eager to beef up their security teams. As a result, small and medium firms are less likely to be attacked since they lack access to a pool of cybersecurity expertise. In reality, nearly 60% of small firms do not have a cybersecurity policy in place, putting them in the position of having to respond to attacks rather than being able to avoid them. Those with the financial wherewithal are more likely to keep a corporation.

What can be done to close the cybersecurity skills gap?

So, how can businesses and educational institutions collaborate to address the cybersecurity talent deficit and retrain employees?

Businesses are adjusting their requirements for cybersecurity experts to have a degree in cybersecurity, which is a huge transition that is already happening. This is frequently due to the fact that these businesses know that college is becoming increasingly inaccessible, as well as the fact that it does not always offer the real-world employable skills that businesses require. In many job descriptions, it fosters a sense of credentialism.

As a result, skills are becoming more valuable than degrees in the cybersecurity job market, lowering the entrance requirements that individuals must achieve to work in this field. With that qualification removed, more people will be able to obtain work in entry-level cybersecurity positions.

Bootcamps are an excellent way to address the cybersecurity labour shortage. They offer courses that focus on the skills needed to enter the workforce while also providing students with an intellectual understanding of the cybersecurity field. Educational institutions can close the cybersecurity skills gap by working with Bootcamp providers and giving students access to real-world resources.

In as short as three months of study, a career-accelerating Bootcamp can offer learners the skills they need for an entry-level position in cybersecurity. It can assist fill cybersecurity tasks in sectors like corporate cyber security, risk assessment, network monitoring, and security operations virtually instantly, addressing the cybersecurity manpower deficit.

Looking back in order to prepare for the future

Because security was not a priority when information technology was first developed, the cybersecurity business has always been at a disadvantage. No one could have predicted that the technology they were developing would one day become a profitable market for company secrets stolen.

After realising that their infrastructure, data, and brand were under attack, cybersecurity was added to the company’s strategy. These organisations were suddenly required to teach personnel to defend their technology and data, but they were unsure how to do so effectively and efficiently – all as the bad guys’ techniques evolved.

Every day, new exploits are discovered, but the business is not keeping up with the creation of new protection and training systems. While cybersecurity is receiving a lot of attention, and most CEOs recognise its importance, assaults continue to be successful and widespread. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough people entering the cybersecurity field to address these threats.