
Despite the increasing need for cybersecurity expertise worldwide, the size of the global cybersecurity workforce remained broadly flat at 5.5 million workers from 2023 to 2024, according to the ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. Over the same two-year time period, the need for cybersecurity workers increased from just over 9 million to approximately 10.2 million. As the gap between cybersecurity supply and demand widens, cybercriminals have taken advantage; the global costs of cybercrime have climbed from 7 to 9.2 trillion dollars in the past two years alone, according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
As cybersecurity becomes an increasingly important topic for organizations of all sizes, the number of cybersecurity professionals needed likely will continue to grow. Universities and public institutions have begun to recognize this skill gap, with programs like the National Security Agency’s “National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity” partnering with more than 460 universities nationwide to create cybersecurity talent pipelines. Initiatives like these will be crucial to growing the talent needed to not only fill gaps in the current workforce but also be prepared for the needs of tomorrow.
One of the National Centers, the University of Texas at San Antonio, will host “A Competitiveness Conversation in Texas: Fortifying the Future — Innovation in Critical Infrastructure Security” from March 10-11; join us there to learn about how educational institutions in Texas are tackling the cybersecurity workforce gap.