It was reported that the number of cybersecurity professionals in Canada and the U.S. has doubled during the pandemic but many organizations are still faced with a security talent gap.

Indeed, a report by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ICS2) stated that the number of people in the cybersecurity workforce in Canada will reach 123,696 and just over 1.42 million in the U.S in 2021. Globally, this will lead to an increase of more than 700,000 compared to the year before.

Yet, it was reported that in order to close the talent gap, the cybersecurity workforce needs to grow 65% to protect effectively organizations’ critical assets. This thus puts pressure and urgency on businesses around the world to find solutions. It was also found out that the global number of women in cybersecurity remains at 25%.

The report then recommends investing in training, providing more flexible working conditions, investing in certifications, investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as encouraging women and minorities to pursue STEM degrees in college.