Who’s to blame for the lack of DEI Opportunities in Cybersecurity? I am.

OVERVIEW

As the world becomes increasingly digitalized, cybersecurity has emerged as one of the most critical fields in the world today. Cyber threat actors are becoming more sophisticated and adaptive. This has made cybersecurity professionals some of the most in-demand professionals in the global job market. However, as the demand for cybersecurity professionals grows, which the latest numbers hover around 3.5 million unfilled global jobs, the field is facing significant challenges when it comes to the lack of DEI representation. I’m to blame for this lack of representation because I’ve fell for the myth that all people coming into cybersecurity require a four-year technical degree, a myriad of certifications, and be able to code in C++ or Python. I’ve remained silent when we don’t recruit from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions.

My presentation will revolve around several key positions – Hiring Managers, Recruiters, HR, C-Suite – and how they need to be better aligned with employment gaps, job requirements, training, and provide a healthy environment where people are heard and valued. Additionally, I’ll expand on how certification vendors are hindering and not helping by introducing financial barriers. Lastly, I will acknowledge industry leaders, that are paving the way and increasing diversity of thought and tackling our current and future problems. In closing, if we continue to fail, as a profession, to bring in more diversity of thought, then our most sensitive global networks and personal data will continue to be at risk.