Cybersecurity sector in need of more skilled workers, legislators say
PHOTO/EDD Cote
In Joe Provost's cyber war room, the New England Cyber Range, teams of trainees try to protect data from teams trying to hack that information.
Cybersecurity is a "critically important growth industry for the Massachusetts economy," but the sector has a clear need for more skilled workers especially as businesses and society increasingly rely on digital technologies, the state's economic development secretary said Thursday.
More than 275 Massachusetts companies focus on cybersecurity products and services, Secretary Mike Kennealy said in remarks to the annual Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum, but the hundreds of unfilled jobs threaten to put a damper on the sector's growth.
It's clear that we need more skilled workers," Kennealy said.
Kennealy's remarks echoed those of Gov. Charlie Baker. Both said the administration is prioritizing partnerships with the private sector, including a mentorship program, investing in workforce development programs, encouraging higher education institutions to help bolster the talent pipeline here, and promoting a diverse talent pool.
"Technology will continue to transform and permeate our society, meaning cyber jobs will be critically important for generations. So those who enter the field will see demand for their skills for years to come," Baker said. "Cybersecurity has a clear employee talent gap, we need to open up new opportunities to enter the sector and to find ways to ensure new employees stick with this new career path."
Udi Mokady, founder, chairman and CEO of CyberArk, kicked off Thursday's forum by highlighting the ways cybercriminals have tried to take advantage of the pandemic-influenced shift to remote work and greater reliance on online services.
"Since last year's forum, the world has seen a lot of change. We've seen cyberattacks become much more targeted and damaging, with the goals of those attacks ranging from critical infrastructure disruption to massive financial damage," he said. Mokady added, "The rapid movement to work from anywhere dissolved any remaining notions of a traditional network-based security perimeter, and attackers haven't stopped innovating. Attackers are becoming bolder, with nearly all cyberattacks centered on compromised identities."
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