Latest news with #talent shortage
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Solving the cyber talent gap: Three lessons from Ireland
The cybersecurity industry has been plagued by a global talent shortage for years, with companies struggling to fill millions of open positions. While public and private sector initiatives like early career training and skills-based hiring have aimed to boost the cybersecurity workforce, the U.S. still faces a gap of 17%, leaving critical systems vulnerable to costly attacks. At the same time, we're seeing cyberattacks become more sophisticated in the AI era, as hackers turn to generative AI tools to quickly develop malware, improve phishing attacks, and create convincing deepfakes. Without a more concerted effort to fill the cybersecurity talent gap, companies stand to lose trillions of dollars from cybertheft, service disruptions, and recovery costs in the coming decade. As the U.S. has struggled to meet the need with local workforces, Ireland has emerged as a bright spot for companies seeking dynamic cybersecurity talent. This is no accident. The Irish government has spent decades investing in homegrown cybersecurity expertise, and now boasts six of the world's 10 largest security software companies, including Cisco, McAfee, and Microsoft. In my role at IDA Ireland, I've watched the industry grow significantly by prioritizing cross-industry collaboration, continuous education, and regional coordination. Here are three lessons leaders in the U.S. can learn from Ireland's success in developing a world-class cybersecurity talent pipeline: LESSON #1: A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS Companies often compete for top talent, but in an industry like cybersecurity facing significant labor shortages, everyone benefits when the overall talent pool grows. When more people have the skills to be successful in an in-demand field, entire local economies flourish, creating new opportunities for both companies and employees. To better align competing priorities within the Irish cybersecurity industry, the Irish government funded Cyber Ireland, a national organization representing over 200 companies and organizations across the sector. Members include both Irish startups and large multinational companies like Dell, Deloitte, and Proofpoint that have set up security operations in Ireland. The organization also includes educational institutions, training providers, research centers, government agencies, NGOs, and investors, representing the entire cybersecurity ecosystem. Through Cyber Ireland, these entities have worked together to develop industry-aligned university curricula to ensure that Irish college graduates are well prepared for cybersecurity careers. These efforts have resulted in substantial growth in the Irish cybersecurity industry, now employing 8,000 people across more than 500 companies and generating €2.7 billion in 2024. The organization projects growth to 17,000 jobs by 2030—that's out of a national population of just 5 million people. Though Cyber Ireland began with a focus on training university students, closing a skills gap requires lifelong learning. To reach non-traditional talent and mid-career professionals working in other fields, it's critical to build pathways for skill-building beyond college campuses. Cyber Ireland has coordinated efforts across multiple universities to develop accredited online microcredential courses for working professionals. This allows more people to develop the right cybersecurity skills to get ahead without needing to commit to an expensive and time-consuming master's degree program. Other companies with a presence in Ireland have taken this effort a step further by actively targeting talent from underrepresented groups. For example, HP partnered with a local industry body to launch a 'returnship' program for women who previously left the workforce, offering a 10-week cybersecurity bootcamp and work placement assistance. Similar initiatives aimed at recruiting military veterans and neurodiverse people for cybersecurity careers are underway. Given the ever-increasing speed of technological advancement, it's not enough to focus solely on bringing college-age talent into the fold. Cybersecurity workforce development calls for educating talent at every career stage. LESSON #3: NATIONAL VISION, REGIONAL ACTIVATION One of the most important elements of Ireland's national cybersecurity strategy is building community on a regional level. Though the government has outlined a broad vision and provided funding to support the future of the cybersecurity industry in Ireland, execution is often best handled locally. Cyber Ireland plays a key role in coordinating regional cybersecurity clusters, which run local meetups and activities in cities like Dublin, Cork, and Galway. The organization also brings regional leaders together for an annual conference to facilitate networking, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among members. Other initiatives designed to activate young people on a local level include Irish Capture the Flag competitions, a secondary school outreach initiative called Cyber Future, and a national cybersecurity career fair for college students. THE BOTTOM LINE Ireland's strategic focus on cross-industry collaboration, continuous education, and regional engagement has cultivated a thriving cybersecurity ecosystem. These lessons offer a valuable blueprint for other countries and regions seeking to address the global talent shortage and secure their digital futures. This strategy has helped a small nation punch above its weight in a critical industry. If countries with much larger populations follow suit, we all stand to benefit from stronger cyber defenses and growing local economies.
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Science
- Fast Company
Underserved students interested in STEM are often overlooked
The STEM talent shortage in the U.S. isn't caused by lack of student interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. It is caused by us overlooking and under-supporting the students who are most capable of driving the innovation economy forward. For years, policymakers have rung alarm bells about the shrinking American STEM pipeline. The data is sobering: While Japan, China, and Korea award over 40% of their college degrees in STEM fields, the U.S. lags behind at under 20%, according to the Center for Security and Emerging Technology. As the global economy becomes more knowledge-based, America's ability to compete depends on whether we can widen and diversify the pool of STEM talent. Much of the public narrative around STEM has mainly focused on students who are behind grade level and need additional supports to catch up. But an equally urgent and far less discussed issue is the vast population of students who are ready to accelerate but remain invisible in our systems. Schools need to actively recruit students According to a report by The Education Trust and Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS), more than 640,000 Black, Latino, and low-income students who are academically capable are missing from Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate courses each year. These students often attend schools that offer advanced coursework, but they are not actively enrolled in those programs. The problem isn't one of supply. The courses exist. The opportunity gap lives inside the enrollment lists. Even more telling, College Board data shows that many Black and Latino students have already demonstrated their potential to succeed in AP-level math and science through PSAT performance. Yet they are never invited to take the leap. The result? A leaky pipeline that loses capable students who might have become engineers, data scientists, or biotech innovators. At EOS, we've partnered with hundreds of districts across the country to identify and enroll these 'missing students.' Our work proves that when schools take an intentional, data-driven approach to proactively recruit underrepresented students into rigorous courses the results are transformative. Students are ready for advanced coursework This isn't about fixing students; it's about fixing opportunity and adult mindsets. A rigorous independent evaluation by George Smith and researchers at Mathematica found EOS significantly increased AP course enrollment—particularly among underserved students. Practically, this means enrolling an average of 52 additional students per school—two full classrooms of previously overlooked young people. Furthermore, there was no difference in the schools' average AP exam performance, which underscores an important truth: These students were always ready for advanced coursework. Without proactively identifying and enrolling them, they would have continued to fall through the cracks. Targeted supports yield substantial returns Identifying and enrolling students is only the beginning. To ensure students and teachers thrive, capacity-building must follow enrollment. The National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) College Readiness Program has shown that, in participating schools, students enrolled in more AP science courses and increased the number of earned college credits. Female students and Black students, in particular, saw significant gains. Within six years, 28% of Black NMSI students earned STEM degrees—compared to 12% of the general national student population. Among female students, 27% of NMSI students earned STEM degrees within six years—versus 12% nationally. What made the difference? A multi-tiered support system: ongoing teacher training, student prep sessions, curriculum resources, reduced exam fees, and targeted incentives. This type of capacity-building suggests that small, targeted investments can yield substantial returns. Unlike intensive interventions designed to help students reach grade-level proficiency, many high-potential students hovering just below AP readiness may benefit from lighter-touch supports such as adaptive learning tools to fine-tune gaps, short-term tutoring to reinforce core concepts, and professional development that equips teachers to deliver rigorous, culturally affirming instruction. The good news is this approach may be more scalable than we think. The marginal cost of providing these additional supports for students who are already academically proximate to advanced coursework is relatively low compared to the long-term payoff in postsecondary success and workforce readiness. Strategic touchpoints with adaptive learning, targeted tutoring, and additional resources can significantly propel students forward. Unleashing the full potential of those ready to soar—especially when so many of them have been overlooked for far too long, yields meaningful dividends for students. EOS-identified students have passed over 290,000 AP exams since 2011-2012, which would amount to roughly $345 million in college tuition and fee savings for EOS-partner students and their families based on trends in pricing. Final thoughts The STEM pipeline isn't just leaking at the bottom—it's leaking at the top too. Policymakers, educators, and business leaders must center opportunity as the foundation for improving outcomes. Bold action is required, such as establishing competitive grant programs for states and districts to increase enrollment and success of underrepresented students in advanced coursework. Investing in students ready to accelerate, leveraging adaptive learning and targeted tutoring, and scaling proven initiatives like EOS and NMSI are essential next steps. Our economic future and national competitiveness depend on fully tapping all of America's talent.
