BUSINESS MATTERS
Closing the Cyber Gap:
How Higher Education Partnerships Empower
Women in Security Careers
Article by Lynn Dohm, Executive Director at Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)
(BPT) - The cybersecurity field is booming. According to the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency's (CISA) National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies, there are over 570,000 open cybersecurity positions in the U.S. alone. With open positions increasing by 35% in the last year, there is a growing need for experts in the field. However, a significant portion of the country's workforce may be left out.
Despite making up nearly half of the nation's workforce, women only hold 26% of the cyber workforce. According to CIO Magazine, women of color are at an even greater disadvantage, with only 3% of computing-related jobs filled by African American women, 7% by Asian women and 2% by Hispanic women.
What's holding women back from entering the cybersecurity field? According to a recent survey sponsored by DeVry University, women in all industries face persistent barriers to
upskilling. If women, particularly in technology, lack chances to acquire new skills, they will face challenges in enhancing their performance in their present roles or advancing their careers.
Women face persistent upskilling barriers
Upskilling is crucial to future-proofing careers in an economy shaped by swift, continuous technological change, and many companies have taken note. According to the survey, nearly 80%