The US needs more cyber talent than it can find. What’s the local response?

Cybersecurity jobs are in demand amid a looming threat from Russia, a plea from the US president for companies to bolster their defenses and a record year for ransomware attacks.

That’s not to mention the hefty price tag associated with recovering from such an attack, which can reach millions of dollars. City governments, businesses and individuals alike have been targeted.

The need for skilled professionals to combat such threats coincides with a (growing) cyber talent gap. Just how big is that gap? It’s more like a canyon, at nearly 600,000 unfilled cyber jobs.

This deficit raises some important questions, including: What’s driving the nationwide need for cyber professionals, and what is the local response? What are the latest security skills being demanded by local employers, and how can technologists develop them? How can data care — a rebranding of cybersecurity that encourages personal responsibility alongside more cyber workforce participation — be better employed by technologists and non-technologists alike?

This is a well-trodden path at Technical.ly. Cyber is a huge industry in the DMV, especially, given its proximity to the federal government. We’ve also published deep dives in recent years exploring just how many and what type of cyber jobs are available in localities like Philly, DC and Baltimore.

But the geopolitical moment has made this need for cybersecurity talent increasingly urgent for true cyber companies as well as others within the tech sector and elsewhere looking to heed Biden’s call. We know, too, that individuals have some power in protecting themselves from attacks.

That’s why April is Cybersecurity Month of Technical.ly’s 2022 editorial calendar. Our reporters will focus extra coverage on the state of the cybersecurity industry, locally and nationally. We’ll investigate how many and what types of cyber jobs are available in Philly, Baltimore, DC, Delaware and Pittsburgh, as well as how those looking to enter the field can train for them. We’ll also explore how individuals and companies can protect themselves from attack, among plenty of other related topics. Look for explainers and guest commentary throughout.

Some relevant recent stories we’ve published:

• What will the cybersecurity industry look like in 2022? DC pros weigh in
• What is social engineering? This Philly prof is training the new workforce in cybersecurity’s nontechnical side
• What’s next in the govtech space? Look to data security, this Maryland exec says
• Cybersecurity will play a major role in controlling election disinformation, this expert told Pitt Cyber
• So you want to be a software developer? Here’s how to break into cybersecurity
• Women in cybersecurity careers: 3 strategies to boost gender inclusion

Are you an expert we should talk to, or do you know of one? Is there a report we need to read to better explain this topic? Are you working on a product or solution of the future? Want to write a first-person guest post about your relevant experience, or to share some applicable resources? Let us know: