Recruiting for Diverse Leadership Roles
Getting more women into the workforce starts with changing the cultural conversation, breaking down barriers to entry and promoting inclusive work environments. Whitmore mentioned that the pandemic made flexible work schedules acceptable, making it easier for working women to stay in the field.
For new hires, it’s an ideal moment to join, because “the industry is having a widespread training moment as they rethink cyber architecture from the ground up,” said Preucil. Luckily, expanding cybersecurity budgets make it more feasible to hire now. And actively hiring is the only way to address the more than 3.5 million cybersecurity roles that could remain unfilled between now and 2025, according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
The second part of closing the gender gap is about recruitment and raising awareness. “Women need to learn more about cybersecurity to realize they are qualified to work in it,” Preucil said. Whitmore got more personal: “If you are a woman in this space, you have the chance to speak up and own your power,” she said.