5 November 2024, Tue |
6:43 PM
According to a new global report from The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF), 94% of women in the Middle East are interested in pursuing a degree in cybersecurity.
“The Empowering Women to Work in Cybersecurity is a Win-Win”, report is a collaboration between the Boston Consulting Group and The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) focused on the key actions that need to be taken to meet the growing gender divide in cybersecurity. The study targeted female undergraduate students studying Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across six regions and 26 countries. The survey aims to provide insight into the potential challenges facing women entering STEM studies, as well as women’s long-term career prospects in cybersecurity.
Women make up only 25% of the global cybersecurity workforce today. This comes at a time when 57% of organizations report unfilled industry positions. According to the report, 70% of those polled stated that a role model encouraging them to enter the field and learn more about the industry was a key driver in their decision to pursue a degree in cybersecurity.
Alaa AlFaadhel, Initiatives & Partnerships Lead at GCF commented on the report: “The results of this report have shown that women are ready and prepared to fill the talent gap in the cybersecurity workforce. With the right encouragement from a young age, women can not only begin to enter the industry, but can also become leaders in their field. By bringing together the leading voices and minds of the cyberspace at the GCF, we are confident that we can bridge this gap and action impactful change for women in cybersecurity.”
Leila Hoteit, BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner commented on the report: “Closing the gender gap in cybersecurity would fulfill an urgent demand in the field that is only going to get bigger. It would also strengthen cyber resilience by bringing in diverse perspectives and would improve business performance. But at the current pace, it will take 130 years to achieve gender parity in the industry. The escalation in cybersecurity threats and their economic impact make it imperative that urgent action is taken to address this mismatch.”
The Middle East had the highest percentage of respondents interested in pursuing a cybersecurity degree, at 94% across all six regions. The region also leads in cybersecurity awareness, with 88% of women aware of cybersecurity programs available at their institution.
European respondents also performed well, with 89% expressing an interest in pursuing a cybersecurity degree and 82% already enrolled in cybersecurity courses. However, European respondents ranked first in the world in terms of STEM perception, with 77% believing the industry is male-dominated and 48% believing it is difficult for women to achieve work-life balance.
Only 35% of those surveyed in Asia-Pacific believed the industry was dominated by men, a significant difference from markets such as Europe. In fact, 41% of Asia-Pacific respondents said that women who work in the field are positively perceived.
Despite being a hub for many leading cybersecurity firms, respondents in North America rated the industry’s prospects as unfavorable. Only 45% of North American women were aware of cybersecurity programs at their institution, and only 61% expressed a desire to pursue a cybersecurity degree, significantly lower than the Middle East (94%) and Europe (89%).
Although Latin America ranked highest in terms of having some knowledge of cybersecurity at 70%, only 9% were able to say they had perused any further study, significantly lower than other markets surveyed.
The region performed well in terms of female students interested in pursuing a degree in the field, with 84% confirming an interest and 73% explaining that their interest developed during their high school years.
The survey reflects an overall desire for women to enter the field of cybersecurity at a critical juncture in the industry’s history. Education and educators play a critical role in empowering women to pursue careers and breaking down gender barriers that exist today.
The GCF will bring together key decision-makers and executives from around the world to discuss the growing opportunities for women in cybersecurity under the theme ‘Rethinking the Global Cyber Order.’ The GCF, which is focused on action, will return for a two-day event on November 9-10.
