Demand for cyber security roles is set to boom over the next year, following several high-profile cyberattacks, research from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has found.
Surveying specialist IT recruitment agencies, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation discovered that many thought demand for cyber security staff would rocket next year.
81% predict a “significant” increase in cyber security hires next year.
Kevin Green, Chief Executive of the REC, said that employers are looking for people with very specific skillsets, creating a problem for recruiters tasked with finding this talent.
He said: “Recruiters tell us that employers are making life more difficult for themselves by creating job roles demanding unreasonable amounts of experience, qualifications and skills – so they’re looking for someone that doesn’t even exist.
"Instead, they should think about how to make the most of transferrable skills and create training opportunities which would benefit employees and new applicants."
He also asked the Government to allow employers, and recruiters, to have continued access to talent after Brexit.
He added: "Long term, we need to see better careers guidance in schools about cyber security roles so that we can build a skilled workforce for the future. And right now, we need to maintain access to the best people from around the world to create a secure environment where British businesses can flourish.”
Cyber security threats have never been more pervasive and with many businesses operating digitally, the risk and responsibility of safeguarding can no longer be incumbent on IT. Several high-profile cyberattacks occurred this year, including at Uber, Equifax, the NHS and Westminster, which has prompted leaders to re-examine their security strategies.
Justin Dolly, Chief Security Officer & CIO at Malwarebytes - a Silicon Valley-based cyber security company - believes that HR departments are vital to protecting the business. Read more about HR's role in tackling cybercrime, here.
