The cybersecurity industry is struggling with a 3.1 million worldwide skills gap, so the need to attract people to the profession is acute. But closing the gap is no easy task, and getting young people interested in the field is challenging.
Innovative ideas to attract would-be cybersecurity professionals are always welcome. One such idea involves a collaboration by TikTok and the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE). The initiative, the US Cyber Games, is designed to awaken interest among young people by having budding cybersecurity professionals face off in an esports-like competition.
The US Cyber Games started in May with the US Cyber Open, during which nearly 700 aspiring cybersecurity professionals aged 18 to 26 competed for two weeks for an invitation to the
US Cyber Combine Invitational. The invitational, modeled after a sports combine, is an eight-week session that will include skills tests and interviews to evaluate the aptitude of each competitor.
Jessica Gulick, US Cyber Games Commissioner and CEO of Katzcy, told VentureBeat that many of the competitions emulate the Capture the Flag tournaments at the DEF CON security conference, during which teams race to find security flaws.
On October 5, the top 20 of a field of 70 competitors will be drafted into the US Cyber Team. The team will then train to represent the U.S. at the inaugural International Cybersecurity Challenge, which is scheduled for December and will involve at least nine nations.
Perception Issue
The gamification approach to cybersecurity may help spur interest in cybersecurity among young competitors, who often hold misconceptions about the profession. In the 2020 Cybersecurity Perception Study, (ISC)² found that though perceptions about cybersecurity professionals from those outside the field are overwhelmingly positive, there is limited knowledge of what they do in reality.
The study’s findings delivered a welcome change from earlier perceptions of individuals working in the shadows to root out and thwart cyber attackers. However, the youngest respondents – Generation Z – appeared to have less positive views of cybersecurity professionals than older generations.
When asked if they see cybersecurity workers as “good guys, fighting cybercrime,” here’s how respondents answered:
Baby boomers – 60%
Generation X – 52%
Millennials – 45%
Generation Z – 34%
In the Perception Study, (ISC)² called for the industry to reexamine its recruiting efforts in order to widen the profession’s appeal, especially among younger age groups. As an organization, we support the US Cyber Games and encourage further innovations to create excitement around the cybersecurity profession.