Building a Skilled Cyber Security Workforce in Five Countries

The number of cyber security incidents is on the rise and cyber security professionals are in high demand. Countries face a significant shortage of qualified persons. To inform policy makers and firms of the market on cyber security skills, data and up-to-date information is needed. As part of the OECD Skills Studies series, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Microsoft have partnered to address these cyber security workforce shortages.

Together, they have analysed big-data to collect detailed and up-to-date information on the demand and supply of cyber security-related skills, as well as best practices from around the world. The aim is to help inform policies and strategies to build and sustain a strong and diverse cyber security workforce around the world. It does so by analysis of the demand for cyber security roles in labour markets globally as well as in the identification of essential skills needed to create a cyber-safe organizational environment.

It has been conducted as part of the OECD Skills Studies series which aims to provide a strategic approach to skills policies. It presents OECD internationally comparable indicators and policy analysis covering issues such as: quality of education and curricula; transitions from school to work; vocational education and training (VET); employment and unemployment; innovative workplace learning; entrepreneurship; brain drain and migrants; and skills matching with job requirements.

The study uses data to provide a timely and detailed analysis of the demand for cyber security professionals. It identifies the key skills, competencies, and abilities most relevant to cyber security professions in select countries. This way, actors in need of cyber security professionals can anticipate and respond to protect against cyber threats and gain insight into the labour market of their country.

The project is divided into three parts that use big data and policy analysis to assess the supply and demand for cyber security skills, as well as the policies and strategies used to expand and diversify the cyber security workforce.

Each part of the project focusses on different areas: a) Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, b) Colombia, Chile, and Mexico, c) France, Poland, and Germany.

For each area, an analysis of the labour market is presented including the demand and supply dynamics within each country.