The UK’s cyber security sector faces a significant skills gap, with nearly half of businesses (44%) reporting deficiencies in basic technical areas. This report backs up the claim.

This shortage is particularly acute in incident management, where skills gaps have increased from 27% in 2020 to 48% in 2024.

Despite a 34% increase in cyber security graduates, the demand for professionals remains unmet, leading to a shortfall of approximately 3,500 individuals in 2023. 

The report also highlights persistent diversity challenges within the sector, with women comprising only 17% of the workforce and 12% of senior roles. 

Addressing the Gap

To mitigate these challenges, businesses should:

• Invest in ongoing training and development programs.

• Implement structured onboarding processes to integrate new talent effectively.

• Foster diversity and inclusion initiatives to broaden the talent pool.

• Collaborate with educational institutions to align curricula with industry needs.

Conclusion

The cyber skills gap poses a substantial risk to the UK’s digital infrastructure. Proactive measures by businesses and collaboration with educational and governmental bodies are essential to bridge this gap and ensure robust cyber security across sectors.