New report finds hurdles women face in cybersecurity, outlines simple solutions to help women pursue careers in the rapidly growing industry
The Female Quotient (The FQ), an experience and media company focused on advancing equality in the workplace, today released new research in collaboration with Deloitte Global that aims to attract more women into the rapidly growing cybersecurity industry.
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The Female Quotient (The FQ), an experience and media company focused on advancing equality in the workplace, today released new research in collaboration with Deloitte Global that aims to attract more women into the rapidly growing cybersecurity industry.
Cybersecurity is one of the most stable and essential job markets worldwide, with industry revenue projected to surpass US$650 billion by 2030, and currently an estimated 4 million job vacancies. Yet, women represent just 25% of the workforce.
The FQ and Deloitte’s latest research report, POV Reimagined: Women in Cybersecurity, explores the persistent gender gap in cybersecurity and found that, despite the immense growth and stability in cybersecurity, 50% of young working women who express interest in cybersecurity feel they lack sufficient knowledge about the field. This disconnect presents a key barrier preventing more women from entering the field, but the solutions are simple.
Emily Mossburg, Deloitte Global Cyber leader shares, “The cybersecurity industry is experiencing explosive growth, yet it’s facing a critical shortage of talent. It’s time to challenge the stereotypes and show women that cybersecurity not only offers the job security and growth opportunities they’re looking for, but also a chance to make a real difference in the world.”
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The research finds that greater parity can be achieved by quashing the myth that technical skills are required, introducing cybersecurity to women earlier and implementing inclusive hiring practices. The report also comes as part of a broader collaborative campaign aimed at celebrating 35 women already leading in industry, while also providing essential guidance, allowing more women to better understand, and harness opportunities in the ever-growing cybersecurity industry.
The findings highlight a persistent challenge: many women feel unwelcome in cybersecurity. Key findings include:
- 55% of women believe cybersecurity could be an intimidating industry for them.
- 51% of women don’t think there is room for someone like them in cybersecurity.
- 51% of women feel they wouldn’t fit in or be able to be themselves in the industry.
- 47% of women are concerned that cybersecurity professionals wouldn’t take them seriously.
Though women feel that the industry is not for them, a career in cybersecurity effectively caters to women’s needs and aspirations. This is evident with the majority of women currently working in the field confirming that it provides job security (57%), opportunities for on-the-job learning (53%), and a strong sense of purpose (52%).
“Cybersecurity isn’t just a career—it’s a mission to solve some of the most complex challenges in our digital world, and women are crucial to this mission. With women now making up 25% of the cybersecurity workforce, we’ve taken a giant step forward, breaking through barriers that once held us back. Deloitte is leading the way by championing women’s unique skills—like collaboration, problem-solving, and an innate ability to think critically under pressure—that are essential to every aspect of the cybersecurity landscape. As we continue to break through the cyber barrier, it’s clear that when women thrive in this field, we all win,” said Shelley Zalis, Founder and CEO of The Female Quotient.
To bring more women into cybersecurity, recruiters don’t need to reinvent the wheel to build demand. Working people find the industry to be exciting and new and, perhaps more importantly, an industry that serves a purpose, with 62% of Working Women and 59% of Working Men agreeing the cybersecurity industry is important and necessary. By highlighting these attributes in job descriptions, it would drive additional consideration with 52% of women saying being an essential industry, and an industry with purpose, is important in a job description.
This report underscores the need to amplify the voices of women in cybersecurity to demystify the industry and help ensure greater diversity. Many organizations still lack female representation in senior cybersecurity roles, which contributes to the overall gender imbalance across the industry. New data, coupled with bold insights from 35 trailblazers in the space, provides essential learnings and helps eliminates the misunderstanding and biases that hold women back from pursuing a successful career in cybersecurity.
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