The growing need for cybersecurity professionals

Most of us cannot live without our cell phones or some sort of computer. And all of this daily technology use is creating a need for people to work in cybersecurity.

Employers are looking to fill almost 500,000 of these jobs. WINK News Safety and Security Specialist Rich Kolko talk about why it’s so difficult to fill these positions.

22,000 of those approximately 500,000 jobs being right here in Florida shows how demand has far surpassed the supply of workers.

As quickly as universities or the military can train people in cybersecurity work, they arhave already secured jobs in the private sector or for the government.

More graduates are needed in STEM fields, specifically those with a concentration in cybersecurity, to fill those jobs.

John Benkert is the senior vice president of Cigent Technology, a cybersecurity firm in Fort Myers. He says that getting the right people into these jobs is a challenge.

“There’s a huge shortage in the STEM field, really, all of them. And so, you know, as a company, you have to get creative,” Benkert said. “So, supply and demand, it works the same way in every field. And so we have to get creative when we’re looking to hire people, but it’s definitely a problem.”

Benkert adds that the problem won’t be resolved anytime soon.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job growth in cybersecurity to be about 31% over the next several years.

The median pay for these jobs is nearly $104,000, so, one would think, that would attract people.