Higher Education is Creating Innovative Solutions to DE&I Challenges in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is one of the hottest industries today. While organizations scramble to fill millions of open jobs in this space, they are finding not just a lack of capable candidates, but that the candidates applying to (and ultimately accepting) jobs in this industry are predominantly white and male.
There are a few educational institutions working to address this issue and attract more women and candidates of color to this extremely lucrative and critical industry. Read on to learn more about how these schools are trying to improve the industry’s standing in terms of diversity.
Increasing Diversity in Cybersecurity Involves Breaking Down Existing Perceptions
During the 12-month period ending in September 2022, upwards of 769,736 skilled cybersecurity jobs were posted by employers, according to data from CyberSeek, a joint initiative between the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce. Demand for experienced and educated professionals grew 2.4 times faster than the need for other workers in the U.S. Cybersecurity jobs also ran 30 percent higher year-over-year and 68 percent higher when compared to 2020. That’s a concerning trend considering the number of exposed digital assets for the third quarter of 2022 hovered above 14.7 million worldwide.
“The data should compel us to double-down on efforts to raise awareness of cybersecurity career opportunities to youth and adults,” said Rodney Petersen, Director of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education in a press release.
One important step toward resolving the shortage appears to involve expanding the candidate base by curing the lack of diversity in the cybersecurity education pipeline.
The industry has a well-documented diversity problem. People entering the field typically require a bachelor’s degree or equivalent training. The core science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum has been largely dominated by white males in the U.S. The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) indicates that women only comprise 14 percent of the information protection workforce, even though they represent 51 percent of the population. Although the cultural reaction might be to frame this issue in terms of gender bias, the underlying issue revolves around foundational education.
Males have traditionally gravitated toward the STEM track and educators do not necessarily reflect the country’s racial composition. Data put forward by ICMCP indicates the STEM ranks are 6 percent African American and 7 percent Hispanic, while the U.S. workforce in total is 11 percent and 15 percent, respectively. But compounding the workforce shortage is a lack of formal cybersecurity education at any point, Forbes reports.
“If the computer science outlook looked like the demographics of our country, we would up those numbers (in the pipeline) significantly,” National Security Agency cybersecurity advisor Rob Joyce said in a press release.
In fact, 77 percent of respondents to the 2020 Cybersecurity Perception Study stated they never received any formal education. The lack of informational exposure was only compounded by a misconception that cybersecurity careers require advanced skills. The laissez-faire approach to cybersecurity education and workforce development has resulted in certain industries suffering shortages because the labor pool grew too narrow.
Solutions Are Emerging in Higher Education
According to a 2020 report published by the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology, a cybersecurity think tank, the last several years have seen cybersecurity workforce discussions mature to include diversity as both a competitive advantage and a solution to the growing talent shortage. Leaders increasingly understand that to prepare for the broadest variety of vulnerabilities we need people who are attuned to all types of risks participating at all levels of the discussion.
Solutions are emerging, and they are happening in education.
California is one of the states that is addressing the growing cybersecurity shortage by working to close the gender diversity gap. Part of this state’s solution involves increasing opportunities to earn a bachelor’s degree within the cost-effective community college system. California joined 24 other states and 141 community colleges across the nation in this effort. Among the concentrations offered is a degree in information systems defense, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune op-ed.
Institutions such as City College in San Diego offer an associate’s degree in cybersecurity, allowing people to acquire entry-level positions. This is strategic: With around 900 cybersecurity firms, San Diego is a hotbed for the industry. As recently as 2019, these companies sought 3,000 new hires and 61 percent planned to increase their workforces.
At the Metropolitan State University of Denver, students have an opportunity to pursue advanced degrees in cybersecurity. Given research that indicates 78.5 percent of the cybersecurity workforce and 72.6 percent of analysts are white, women of color do not necessarily see themselves as part of the industry norm.
MSU of Denver launched its graduate-level cybersecurity degree program in 2018 taking a unique approach. The program combines classes from criminal justice and criminology, computer information systems and computer science. It is also accredited through the Higher Learning Commission and designated as a Center of Academic Excellence by the National Security Agency, according to an article on the school’s website.
Read more about how higher education is playing a major role in preparing the cybersecurity workforce of tomorrow: