The Biden administration has taken efforts to fill the hundreds of thousands of cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. as part of a bid to close the workforce gap described as a national security challenge. With ~700,000 cybersecurity job openings, this challenge threatens the nation’s global economic viability and must be tackled aggressively. Moreover, this major talent shortage is exacerbated with a more troublesome issue - the lack of diversity in cybersecurity.

According to the 2021 Aspen Digital Tech Policy Hub report, the latest demographics indicate underrepresented groups such as Black (9%), Hispanic (4%) and Asian (8%) professionals make up an increasingly low percentage of the Cybersecurity workforce. The Pew Research Center reported women still only represent approximately 25% of the cybersecurity workforce compared to at least 40% of the global workforce. “With cybersecurity as one of the largest challenges facing the Nation’s security with a major talent shortfall, it is paramount that all talent including gender, ethnicity and culture are not only included but welcome in the workforce. (Cyversity.org)”

This panel will discuss actions that can be taken to shift the narrative and build more diversity into the cybersecurity workforce.