Fostering a More Inclusive Culture to Close the Skills Gap

In the drive to build a more diverse workforce, security organizations are progressing in many ways, such as ensuring that required skills in job descriptions are more inclusive, said Ed Parsons of (ISC)². But he added that job recruiters need to “meet underrepresented groups where they are.”

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That means working with “partnerships who can actually engage those communities to make sure that you’re attracting a diverse range of candidates in the first place,” he said. Hiring for a broader set of transferable skills will naturally attract a broader range of people to cybersecurity, Parsons added.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at Infosecurity Europe, Parsons discussed:

• The state of the talent shortage today and how companies can avoid creating barriers to new hires;




• The skills the industry needs today and in the future;
• A new guide from (ISC)² and the Chartered Institute of Information Security on using inclusive terminology in cybersecurity.

Parsons heads up Europe and the United Kingdom at (ISC)², the world’s largest cybersecurity professional members’ organization. He previously led an international cybersecurity consultancy known as a leader in U.K. and Nordic markets, renowned for research and technical expertise. As a cybersecurity professional, he spent several years helping organizations investigate and respond to threats from nation-state actors and organized crime.