Despite the widespread economic damage resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the cybersecurity industry has remained relatively unscathed, according to ISACA’s State of Cybersecurity 2021 study.
While cybersecurity jobs remain in high demand, major challenges remain when it comes to people power and the skills gap. More than 3,600 cybersecurity leaders report consistent challenges finding qualified, well-rounded candidates—and understaffed teams remain strongly correlated to an increasing number of cyberattacks. Despite years of effort by government, industry and academia to develop a stronger pipeline of cybersecurity candidates, little has changed.
Technical cybersecurity positions remain most difficult to fill, with 47% of respondents reporting that all or most of their unfilled positions are at that level. The biggest increase in demand – a 5-percentage point increase – is for cybersecurity managers.
According to the research, which was sponsored by HCL, the top five ways hiring managers determine whether a candidate is qualified are:
- Prior hands-on cybersecurity experience—95%
- Credentials (i.e., certifications and certificates)— 89%
- Hands-on training—81%
- Employer recommendation—70%
- University degree—68%
There are significant challenges for rising professionals in the field. Few organizations offer entry-level opportunities, leaving scarce entry points into the field. Further complicating entry-level career pathways, only 27% of respondents say that recent university graduates are well prepared for the cybersecurity challenges their organization is facing.
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