Cybersecurity Industry Faces Diversity Crisis with Wage Gap and Underrepresentation
The cybersecurity industry is grappling with significant diversity and inclusion challenges, with stark disparities in salaries, leadership roles, and workforce representation. Meanwhile, thousands of jobs remain unfilled due to a perceived skills gap.
A glaring issue is the racial and gender wage gap. Cybersecurity salaries vary significantly across races and genders, with specific figures yet to be publicly disclosed. To address this, employers are urged to cover or subsidize certification exam costs for diverse candidates, and even pay for new hires to complete these exams.
Employee referrals, a common hiring practice, should be reduced in importance. This is because women and people of color are less likely to be referred, perpetuating a cycle of underrepresentation. Only 24% of cybersecurity workers are women, and a mere 4% and 9% identify as Hispanic and Black, respectively.
Organizations are encouraged to establish partnerships with programs that foster diverse talent. They should also track retention and attrition rates for diverse candidates to understand and address any specific challenges they face. Leadership roles in cybersecurity companies are predominantly held by white men, indicating a need for targeted efforts to promote diversity in these positions.
To tackle these issues, cybersecurity organizations should consider concrete actions such as covering certification exam costs, reducing the emphasis on employee referrals, and tracking diversity metrics. While there's no specific information about organizations developing concrete commitments through round tables, such initiatives could help drive meaningful change in the industry.
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