ISC)² continues to grow as it recently surpassed a milestone of 150,000 certified cybersecurity professionals in 175 countries.
This is good news considering the data in the 2019 (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study indicates that the cybersecurity workforce needs hire 4.07 million professionals globally to close the skills gap to better defend organizations.
“We’re extremely proud of our association’s growth over the past 30 years to support the profession and reach this member milestone,” said David Shearer, CEO, (ISC)². “However, we can’t stop now. The cybersecurity workforce still needs to grow by 145% globally in order to close the widening skills gap, and we will continue to maintain our certifications and provide up-to-date training opportunities to help our members keep their skills sharp throughout their careers, so they can overcome the challenges associated with securing critical assets in the public and private sectors and the systems we use in our everyday lives.”
As the press release indicates, (ISC)2 is helping to build the cybersecurity workforce and recruit new talent with certifications while providing networking and professional development programs that enable security practitioners to showcase their expertise, advance their careers and contribute to a safe and secure cyber world.
(ISC)2 certifications are a seal of approval for security professionals that indicate an appropriate knowledge base. These certified cybersecurity professionals maintain their certification status in good standing by attending continuing education courses earning CPEs and networking with others in similar roles.
As a membership benefit, members of (ISC)2 can receive free CPEs for viewing courses online offered through the Professional Development Institute. Each PDI course is designed with input from leading industry experts and based on proven learning techniques. Non-members of (ISC)2 may also view the courses for a fee.
In addition, members and non-members may earn CPEs and view sponsored webinars to advance their knowledge on emerging issues and stay up-to-date on current trends and hot-button topics.
These continuing education opportunities allow existing professionals to stay current while the industry works to increase the number of professionals worldwide to fill the global need.