How to Upskill and Reskill in Cybersecurity?
By Neelesh Kripalani, Chief Technology Officer, Clover Infotech
In a post pandemic world, digitalization has become the imperative. Industries and businesses that have embraced digital are not only surviving but also thriving. Pandemic has taught all of us that being digital does not only mean having cool applications. It means having solutions that run deep across processes, people, and technology. However, the rapid digitalization is making enterprises vulnerable to cyber threats. These threats are not restricted to big corporates anymore. They are impacting the small, medium businesses and individuals alike.
Further, as per a government statement on national cyber exercise (NCX) – A hybrid exercise conducted over a period of 10 days from 18th to 29th of April to train the senior management and technical personnel of critical sectors in cybersecurity – India’s cyberspace need to be safeguarded as any threat to it directly impacts social, economic, and national security.
This has skyrocketed the demand for experienced security professional and deepened the significant skill gap in the market. Cybersecurity has become one of the most sough-after skillset in the IT industry. However, many job openings remain vacant as organizations seek experienced IT candidates that have a specific background in security. This has necessitated the upskilling and reskilling of the existing workforce in cybersecurity.
Below mentioned are some measures that companies can apply for upskilling and reskilling of their workforce in cybersecurity:
Internal cybersecurity training programs – Companies, with the help of their experienced cybersecurity professionals, can design a basic course structure for training freshers in cybersecurity. This can include classroom training such as lectures, interacting with experienced professionals, and on-the job training, where freshers get to work on real-life security threats under the vigilant guidance of experienced employees.
On-boarding an industry expert – Since internally training employees in a particular practice can consume a lot of time and efforts, companies can partner with industry experts. These experts add value by bringing in-depth knowledge and understanding of the security landscape. They are aware of the past and current security ecosystem’s strengths and vulnerabilities, and hence are equipped in predicting its future. This enables them to design comprehensive cybersecurity training modules that can train freshers into becoming multifaceted security professionals.
Webinars and Events – There are several webinars and online events on cybersecurity that are being conducted almost every day. Organizations can encourage their employees to attend such events. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. An organization with standard cybersecurity requirements can upskill employees through any of the cybersecurity certifications that are being offered. However, reskilling of employees with advanced knowledge in the security field cannot be undermined.
Offer internship programs – Many companies build and nurture talent in high-demand professions through internship programs. These programs provide opportunities to young graduates to develop practical skillsets for becoming industry-ready. When major corporates offer such positions, they keep the long-term professional career in mind and develop programs that cover all aspects of being a skilled professional through comprehensive learning, hands-on training, and mentorship.
In a post pandemic world, cybersecurity has quickly become one of the most famous and important skillsets and its demand is only going to grow. Hence, the acute skill gap is expected to become more apparent. Industries, organizations, and even the government must come together to bridge this skill gap by offering avenues for training of the next generation of IT talent.
