FINAL WORD

The report shows that with 55 % of marketing directors across the UK and US saying a shortage of technical skills in recruits is one of their top challenges , some 90 % are now gearing up to outsource crucial expertise in a race to achieve the competitive advantages tech offers .

This is unsurprising , given the intensity of the ‘ Great Resignation ’, and as such retaining and upskilling talent has never been more crucial . Offering a solution to the problem , three leading experts from across different industries offer their insights into how to efficiently tackle the skill shortage below .

Allen McNaughton , Systems Engineering Director for Infoblox Public Sector

It ’ s no secret that the cybersecurity industry is in something of a talent crisis . The need for cybersecurity experts greatly outpaces the supply .

These professionals underpin the security and integrity of networks and data , manage a company ’ s security stack and have the skills to identify , react to and remediate security risks .

Over the past year , this talent pool has faced unprecedented demands as the pandemic forced understaffed cybersecurity teams to extend security to cover the blending of corporate and home technologies as millions of employees worked remotely – all while adjusting to the challenges of remote work themselves .

To compound these difficulties , malicious actors have pounced , preying on these new work arrangements , hastily setting up network architectures and fears of the pandemic to launch a growing number of cyberattacks .

All of this has culminated in a cybersecurity workforce that is stretched out , overburdened and burnt out .

The novelty of this situation has forced organisations to rethink how they attract talent , train employees and educate those inside and outside the organisation to better understand the different threats they face . Organisations are raising pay , recruiting from underserved communities and making cybersecurity careers more accessible to students without a traditional degree .

These solutions are helping but not filling the entire gap . This challenge did not arise overnight and will require long-term strategic thinking to overcome . And unfortunately , time is a luxury . Malicious actors are not good sports , waiting for the cybersecurity community to transform itself before launching an attack .

The cybersecurity industry needs to act now and follow the lead of the fast food industry and small businesses that have addressed skill shortages by leveraging technology to help manage work , increase productivity and reduce burnout .

Here ’ s how :

First , look for technology solutions that prioritise automation . Technology that automates lowerorder tasks is relatively easy to deploy , frees up workers ’ valuable time and also removes the potential for any human error combing through different risks .

Second , recognise the power of context . In cybersecurity , context can help workers better understand the threats they face and enable them to make better , more accurate and faster decisions . Not all threats are the same , so it ’ s important that context follows automation so that security teams do not waste hours chasing down the most basic of threats that can easily be remediated via technology .

Third , look for technology solutions that leverage the expertise you already have . While context is key for understanding a single threat , it ’ s also valuable for cybersecurity teams who need to make decisions about which threats to prioritise . Workflow prioritisation can help identify and remediate the most dangerous , time-consuming threats instead of randomly remediating threats based on when they ’ re discovered .

These and other technology solutions that leverage automation , context and the skills your team already has are not merely a bridge between now and a fully-staffed cybersecurity industry of the future .

Don Mowbray , EMEA Lead , Technology & Development at Skillsoft

With three out of four IT decision-makers reporting skills gaps in their departments ,

Allen McNaughton , Systems Engineering Director for Infoblox Public Sector

www . intelligentcxo . com

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