How Are We Going to Fill 4.8 Million Cybersecurity Jobs?

The cybersecurity industry is suffering from a stagnant workforce, a growing skills gap and a worldwide shortage of nearly 5 million qualified professionals. Despite increasing demand, many organizations struggle to fill critical roles, hindered by budget constraints and a highly competitive market for specialized skills in areas such as artificial intelligence and cloud security.

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ISC2’s 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study found that the number of cybersecurity jobs worldwide – 5.8 million – remained about the same over the past year, while the shortage of workers – 4.8 million – grew by 19%.

“It’s not just about the people available in the market. It’s about the skilling, and I think that’s where the focus needs to be – getting the right skillsets into the right job roles,” said Jon France, CISO at ISC2, a nonprofit organization specializing in training and certifications for cybersecurity professionals.

In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, France discussed:

• Why the cybersecurity workforce is stagnant and how budget constraints are affecting hiring;




• The critical need for specialized skills in AI, cloud security and zero trust implementations;
• Steps organizations can take to close the workforce gap, including fostering entry-level talent and providing continuous training.

France is an information security professional and CISO at ISC2 serving as advocate for security and risk management activities, skills development and awareness among all users of technology across industries as well as within ISC2.