Recently, I came across a LinkedIn post from a friend who was #Hiring for a cybersecurity role. It got me thinking – just how challenging is it to find and crucially, to retain, experienced cybersecurity staff? According to my friend, it is very challenging. Intrigued, I decided to take a dive into the numbers.
71% of organizations are currently unable to fill cybersecurity positions, leading to a concerning skills gap in the workforce. This issue has been highlighted by The World Economic Forum, which warns of the potential impact on infrastructure and society as a whole.
Globally, there is an estimated 4 million person cybersecurity workforce gap. According to ISC2, the shortfall in the United States alone amounts to half a million roles.
Per Fortinet’s 2023 Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report, 68% of leaders agree that cybersecurity skills shortages create cyber risks for their organization.
An overwhelming 90% of leaders show a strong preference for hiring individuals with technology-focused certifications per the Fortinet report. Their study also brings encouraging news that 90% of leaders are willing to invest in their employees by covering the costs of certification. In alignment with this, the World Economic Forum advocates for the crucial processes of “reskilling and upskilling,” emphasizing the importance of narrowing the cybersecurity skills gap.
So, the next question is, what does it take to obtain an affordable cybersecurity certificate? This option seems promising: Google offers a Cybersecurity Certificate through Coursera suitable for these roles:
- Cybersecurity analyst
- Security analyst
- SOC analyst
- Information security analyst
- IT security analyst
- Cyber defense analyst
According to Google, this course can be finished in six months with less than 10 hours of part-time study per week. After a free 7-day trial, Coursera charges a monthly fee of $49, resulting in a total cost of just under $300 for the certificate.
If you’re considering a career change, be encouraged by the fact that the demand for cybersecurity professionals is high. There are even relatively low cost ways to achieve a Cybersecurity Certificate.
Good luck!
-Maureen
P.S. – Google says that the median salary in cybersecurity (with 0-5 years of experience) is $115,000 per year. 