UK faces record cybersecurity skills gap

The UK cybersecurity workforce gap has reached a record high, with 73,439 professionals needed to adequately safeguard digital assets, representing a 29.3 percent increase over 2022.

Research by security professionals organization ISC2 shows the UK cybersecurity workforce has reached 367,300 people, an 8.3 percent increase from 2022, representing more than 28,000 new jobs.

Yet 57 percent of UK respondents have experienced cutbacks, which included budget cuts, layoffs and hiring and promotion freezes, compared with 47 percent of global respondents . 34 percent have faced cuts to cybersecurity training programs, vital for skills development and workforce growth.

The threat landscape remains difficult too, with 76 percent of cybersecurity professionals saying it is the most challenging it has been in the last five years. Only 54 percent believe their organization has adequate tools and people to respond to cyber incidents over the next two to three years.

"While we celebrate the record number of new cybersecurity professionals entering the field, the pressing reality is that we must double this workforce to adequately protect organizations and their critical assets," says ISC2 CEO Clar Rosso. "Amid the current threat landscape, which is the most complex and sophisticated it has ever been, the escalating challenges facing cybersecurity professionals underscore the urgency of our message: organizations must invest in their teams, both in terms of new talent and existing staff, equipping them with the essential skills to navigate the constantly evolving threat landscape. It is the only way to ensure a resilient profession that can strengthen our collective security."

Organizations are actively adopting strategies to strengthen their cybersecurity teams. Survey respondents in the UK say their organizations are offering flexible work conditions (71 percent), investing in staff training (70 percent), funding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs (69 percent), supporting certifications (64 percent), and expanding their teams by recruiting, hiring and onboarding new staff (60 percent) to prevent or mitigate staff shortages.

Recruitment of staff is also stressing the importance of non-tech skills including problem-solving (38 percent), a curiosity and eagerness to learn (38 percent) and effective communication (37 percent).

The full Cybersecurity Workforce Study is available from the ISC2 site.

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