The numbers are often different, but one thing is for certain: there will be a global cybersecurity worker shortage. The most recent article to come out stresses a global shortage of 1.8 million by the year 2022.

Why will there be a cybersecurity worker shortage?

Cybersecurity is a Niche

Cybersecurity is a niche field, and niche fields often suffer from worker shortage. Technology requires a broad understanding of how hardware, software, computers, networks, and operating systems work. It also requires a knowledge of how they relate to each other as well. Then, the interoperability of those is a niche. The security of those intersections still a smaller niche. When you start to specialise further, the more difficult it is to learn. The more difficult it is to learn, the less likely you are to find people who are capable of learning them. More importantly – you’re less likely to find people willing to learn those technologies and how to secure them.

Cybersecurity Worker Shortage

The Barrier to Entry is High

Getting into the field of cybersecurity also requires a willingness to prove your worth. You may need to earn certifications. These are often expensive, thereby potentially and unfairly leaving out talent from the lower ends of the socioeconomic scale. Certain jobs may be difficult to get in and of themselves. They may require lengthy interview processes and the ability to complete practical challenges with hardware and software. Not everyone is willing to go through such exercises when there are other jobs that can be obtained more easily.

Technology is Always Changing

It’s difficult enough to learn and grow in a field that is relatively static. Staying current in a field where things are constantly changing is much more difficult! If we think just in terms of the technological changes in my lifetime (I’m 42) – my first computer was a TV, a keyboard, and a cassette player. I literally had to press rewind to run my programmes again! Today, I can do just about anything with a Macbook and an internet connection, but it’s required quite a bit of effort to keep up with the changes for all those years. Not everyone is willing to do that.

The Industry is Consolidating Leading to More Worker Shortage

Large companies in the technology industry are often the norm. Microsoft, Google, Apple, Symantec, Fire Eye – all these companies are growing, whether through organic growth, or just as often, acquisitions. They can start to afford to pay higher salaries than start ups, which means they attract and keep the best talent. Large companies in other fields, such as banking, insurance, government – anywhere where there are big networks – can also pay top dollar and will attract and keep talent. Promising small businesses get acquired or acqui-hired quickly so as to beat the competition to the person and/or technology, and soon there will be just a few giants with all the star employees. There’s little incentive for cybersecurity professionals to leave any one place, or the industry itself.