The security of the European Union cannot be guaranteed without the EU’s most valuable resource: its people. The EU urgently needs professionals with the skills and competences to prevent, detect, deter, and defend the EU against cyberattacks.
In 2022, the shortage of cybersecurity professionals in the EU ranged between 260,000 and 500,000, while the EU’s cybersecurity workforce needs were estimated at 883,000 professionals. In addition, women only amounted to 20% of cybersecurity graduates and to 19% of information and communications technology specialists.