The world of cybersecurity is facing a very real challenge: lack of human capital. There is a notable lack of qualified professionals and specialized skills in their workforce. This problem, which affects both public and private organizations, is not only a global phenomenon, but is felt more strongly in Latin America and the Caribbean. This talent gap not only increases security risks, but also puts enormous pressure on organizations, deeply affecting the cyber protection of countries in this region.
As a student imagine feeling great curiosity and enthusiasm to explore the world of cybersecurity, wanting to contribute to such a vital field in our digital world. However, when trying to understand what embarking on this career really entails, you come across a sea of information that feels more like a maze: overwhelming, confusing, and sometimes contradictory. Navigating the process of preparing and advancing in this career can feel overwhelming.
On the other hand, organizations eager to strengthen their teams with the best cybersecurity talent are encountering their own challenges. They find it difficult not only to pinpoint what skills and knowledge are essential to their needs, but also to attract, recruit and, most importantly, retain those talented people in a rapidly changing environment. All this while they try to defend themselves against cyber threats that do not rest.
In this scenario, governments are not left behind; They strive to adapt, creating and applying public policy and strategies that seek to close these skills and technology gaps and thus strengthen national security in cyberspace. Despite their efforts, it must be recognized that the public sector moves very slowly and is not keeping pace with the speed of growth of these technologies. Also, in Mexico we lack legislative and judicial frameworks to classify cybercrimes as well as to pursue and prosecute them. One of the causes of this gap is also the lack of knowledge and capacities (human capital) of a topic that moves too quickly.
Building a skilled and resilient cybersecurity workforce is a career that requires patience, as solutions and improvements take time, possibly years, to reach a posture or situation of complete readiness.
Microsoft projects that by 2025, there will be 3.5 million job openings in the cybersecurity field globally, representing an impressive 350% increase over an eight-year period. A national skills development campaign was launched in 2023. It was observed that for every two cybersecurity positions filled, a third remains unfilled. They are working closely with their colleagues in the community to help close this gap and promote greater diversity in the profession. Additionally, they proudly announced the expansion of the cybersecurity skills development campaign to 23 additional countries in collaboration with Microsoft.
This graph demonstrates the size and growth of the global cybersecurity workforce
In 2023:
ISC2 estimated the size of the global cybersecurity workforce at 5.5 million.
Between 2022 and 2023, the cybersecurity workforce grew by 8.7%, representing almost 440,000 new positions.
All regions experienced annual growth in the size of the cybersecurity workforce in 2023. The strongest growth was seen in the Middle East/Africa and Asia-Pacific regions, where the workforce increased year-over-year by 11.7% and 11.8% respectively.
For companies in the United States, one way to solve the high labor demand has been to promote new labor policies. These include a hybrid or virtual work model. This provides flexibility in the work day to improve work-life balance. Furthermore, many of these jobs, as is the case in the technology industry, do not require being located in the same geographic region or in the same office.
In conclusion, the growing gap between the demand for specialized cybersecurity capabilities and the supply of qualified talent represents one of the most significant challenges for global security in the digital age. As technology advances and cyber threats become more sophisticated, it is imperative that organizations, governments and educational institutions collaborate closely to develop innovative strategies that promote the training and recruitment of cybersecurity professionals. Only through joint efforts and a proactive approach will we be able to close this talent gap and ensure a safer digital future for all.