Cybersecurity professionals touch the lives of each and every one of us — they play a critical role on the front lines of protecting our nation’s economy, from securing our financial information to making sure our quality of life is not jeopardized. Yet the nation faces a looming cybersecurity workforce crisis – by 2021, an estimated 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs will go unfilled. This year, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is highlighting the need to solve this problem. It is critical that we all work together to close this gap and build stronger defenses by encouraging people from different backgrounds and ages to pursue careers in cybersecurity.
Raising the next generation of interested and capable cybersecurity professionals is a starting point. There are numerous opportunities to educate students of all ages – from high school to higher education and beyond – about the field of cybersecurity as they consider their professional options. Parents, caregivers, counselors and teachers can encourage children young people to pursue cybersecurity careers. It’s important for these influencers to learn about cybersecurity as a career and have conversations with kids about the breadth of rewarding and well-paying jobs available. Cyberseek.org offers great resources to help everyone understand the typical cybersecurity career pathway.
However, not all cybersecurity positions require a technical background. A variety of industries ‒ such as education, telecommunications, banking, fashion, design and retail – need cybersecurity professionals and are hiring. Creativity, curiosity, a passion for learning, problem solving skills, strong ethics and a keen understanding of risks are attributes that employers seek in cybersecurity candidates. The bottom line is that right now, there is tremendous opportunity to work in a profession that is dedicated to helping make our borderless online world safer and more secure for everyone. And that opportunity is expected to continue to grow.
One leading example of a company that prioritizes security and has long invested in hiring top cybersecurity talent and helping to bridge the cybersecurity workforce gap is Intel. Although these cybersecurity experts are often behind the scenes, they are truly on the front lines and have a measurable impact on our digital lives. Security engineers and researchers at Intel not only strengthen the security of its own products, but also learn and share with the broader community to help collectively develop and accelerate the adoption of more secure technologies across the entire computing industry. Additionally, Intel is working with academia to hasten the development and availability of the next generation of security-minded professionals through initiatives such as the Design for Security Badge Program at Purdue University developed in partnership with Intel.
This October, consider learning more about what working in cybersecurity could mean for your career and check out these resources from our trusted champions.
- DHS’s National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies: The NICCS Education and Training Catalog is a central location where cybersecurity professionals across the nation can find over 3,000 cybersecurity-related courses. Anyone can use the interactive map and filters to search for courses offered in their local area so they can add to their skill set, increase their level of expertise, earn a certification, or even transition into a new career.
- CyberSeek.org: To help close the cybersecurity skills gap, CyberSeek provides detailed, actionable data about supply and demand in the cybersecurity job market.
- NCSA’s, “Millions of Rewarding Jobs: Educating for a Career in Cybersecurity” Infographic: A career in cybersecurity is about protecting the internet, a critical resource we all depend on. If you Haven’t thought about a cybersecurity career, this infographic outlines some things to consider.