Using the ECSF to sustain a cybersecurity workforce

On the 5th of April 2022 a webinar was organised by ENISA with the aims to highlight how the organisation is going to sustain the effort to build a cybersecurity workforce in the near future, through the European Cybersecurity Skills Framework (ECSF) and its application.

The participation of EfVET in this conference is linked to its partnering in a project named REWIRE in which the main objective is to provide concrete recommendations and solutions that would lead to the reduction of skill gaps between industry requirements and sectoral training provision and contribute to support growth, innovation, and competitiveness in the field of Cybersecurity.

The participants of the virtual event were welcomed by Marianna Kalenti, Communication Specialist in the Agency of Cybersecurity (ENISA). She explained what ENISA is and what its mission, vision, and values are. Fabio di Franco, Expert in Cyber Security and Telecommunications, stated that the pandemic has increased the need of cybersecurity experts. Indeed, there are 50,000 jobs in the cybersecurity area, which are unfilled in Europe according to recent studies. So, there is the need to have proficient skilled professionals so as to achieve a secure cybersecurity framework. Athanasios Vasileios Grammatopoulos, Cybersecurity Operational Assistant at European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), explained the 12 cybersecurity profiles and the 3 lines of defence. Paresh  Rathod Laureate, Chairman of European Cybersecurity Organisation (ECSO), gave additional details about two of the profiles, in concrete terms, the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and the Cybersecurity Educator.

Jutta Breyer, European E-Competence Framework at Breyer publico consulting, pointed out that the European Cybersecurity Skills Framework (ECSF) is a tool for the discipline of cybersecurity in Europe. It can be used in: organisation, learning environment, and decision making in order to create a cybersecurity culture and to reduce the skills and workforce gap. Vladlena Benson, Industry-Recognised Expert in Cybersecurity Management and Governance at the Cyber Security Innovation Partnership Aston University, wondered where we should be in 5 years in the area of cybersecurity, explaining an hypothetical case of a student who is willing to be trained in cybersecurity. Markku Korkiakoski, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Netox Ltd, affirmed that the employment process starts from the internal needs and that there is a need to identify the knowledge and skills for professionals. Sara García Bécares, Responsible for Talent in Cybersecurity at INCIBE – Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute, explained that there is a significant gap in the number of professionals, and she explained two projects called “Talento Hacker” and “Foro nacional de ciberseguridad”.

To conclude, Fabio di Franco, pointed out the need of academic programs such as masters’ degrees, and to facilitate mobility thanks to Erasmus.

For more information:

https://www.enisa.europa.eu/events/enisa-webinar-cybersecurity-skills