Interested in relocating? US has shortage of half a million workers in field of cyber defense
The statistic comes from Cyber Seek, a database of the U.S. Commerce Department, which says the shortage "puts our digital privacy and infrastructure at risk"
Mandi Kogosowski
| 25/05/2021
BIGSTOCK/Copyright: World Image
About 464,000 positions in the field of cybersecurity are waiting to be filled right now throughout the U.S., the CBS network reported, based on statistics from the Cyber Seek database of the U.S. Commerce Department. The majority of the jobs are being offered in California, Florida, Texas and Virginia.
"There is a dangerous shortage of cybersecurity workers in the United States that puts our digital privacy and infrastructure at risk," according to the Cyber Seek website, which also gives examples. "From April 2020 through March 2021, there were 144,700 openings for Information Security Analysts, but only 131,000 workers currently employed in those positions – an annual talent shortfall of 13,700 workers."
"You don't have to be a graduate of MIT to work in cybersecurity," said Tim Herbert, executive vice president at CompTIA, which teaches IT security, in a comment to CBS. "It just requires someone who has the proper training, proper certification and is certainly committed to the work."
Indeed, many organizations offer intensive courses in the field that last several weeks and can enable people to get an entry-level job. Herbert said that many graduates who majored in computer science tend to pick careers in the fields of software development, robotics or artificial intelligence, with only a small percentage choosing a career in cybersecurity.
The statistic comes from Cyber Seek, a database of the U.S. Commerce Department, which says the shortage "puts our digital privacy and infrastructure at risk"
BIGSTOCK/Copyright: World Image
About 464,000 positions in the field of cybersecurity are waiting to be filled right now throughout the U.S., the CBS network reported, based on statistics from the Cyber Seek database of the U.S. Commerce Department. The majority of the jobs are being offered in California, Florida, Texas and Virginia.
"There is a dangerous shortage of cybersecurity workers in the United States that puts our digital privacy and infrastructure at risk," according to the Cyber Seek website, which also gives examples. "From April 2020 through March 2021, there were 144,700 openings for Information Security Analysts, but only 131,000 workers currently employed in those positions – an annual talent shortfall of 13,700 workers."
"You don't have to be a graduate of MIT to work in cybersecurity," said Tim Herbert, executive vice president at CompTIA, which teaches IT security, in a comment to CBS. "It just requires someone who has the proper training, proper certification and is certainly committed to the work."
Indeed, many organizations offer intensive courses in the field that last several weeks and can enable people to get an entry-level job. Herbert said that many graduates who majored in computer science tend to pick careers in the fields of software development, robotics or artificial intelligence, with only a small percentage choosing a career in cybersecurity.
