Today some 2.8 million professionals work in cybersecurity around the globe, but an additional 4 million trained workers would be needed to close the skills gap and properly defend organizations, according to the 2019 ISC2 Cyber Security Workforce Study. The global nonprofit is the largest association of certified cybersecurity professionals. The data reveals that in the U.S. alone, nearly a half million workers would be needed to fill the shortage.
Mandi Ingersoll works as a cybersecurity analyst for TDI in Washington, D.C. nearly half a million skilled cyber workers are needed in the US to close the skills gap and properly defend organizations."Back in 1998, when I first started in the Navy, I picked the IT field because I knew it was going to be up and coming," she said. "When I retired, I decided to stay with that because I already have 20 years [experience].
Finding and retaining talent is a top concern at TDI — the company traditionally has strong retention rates — but the labor market is a challenge and mentality among workers has shifted, with many wanting to work as contractors instead of full time, said CEO Paul Innella. Another newer phenomenon is "ghosting" where job applicants don't show up for interviews and sometimes even jobs they've been hired for.