New COE Cybersecurity Report for Los Angeles and Orange Counties

California Community College Economic and Workforce Development Centers of Excellence have released a new Environmental Scan on Cybersecurity for Los Angeles and Orange Counties.  Download the report free!

While computer technology offers many modern conveniences – such as mass data storage, online banking and bill paying, and digital collaboration, to name a few – it simultaneously creates a new world of virtual threats. Such threats range from viruses and worms, which can cause damage to personal computers, to identity and credit theft. In 2010 IBM found 8,000 new web vulnerabilities and attacks to online information, representing a 27% increase from the previous year. It is the responsibility of cybersecurity professionals to protect the end user from such threats and to ensure that sensitive information remains private.


However, as illustrated in the leading quote of this report, there is a shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals in the United States. In May 2011 Dice, North America’s leading career website for technology and engineering professionals, reported that California has the largest shortage of qualified technology related talent, including cybersecurity, as there are nearly three jobs open to every computer science graduate. Further, Dice named Los Angeles as one of the most impacted areas.

The purpose of this report is to determine the workforce development needs related to cybersecurity in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Specifically, the Center of Excellence studied these occupations to determine: (a) job growth; (b) the most important skills, and educational and experience requirements to gain employment in the field; and (c) recommendations for the community colleges to strengthen cybersecurity curriculum. To determine skill sets needed to work in cybersecurity, the COE conducted an in depth analysis of 44 job postings, consequentially compiling a list of 15 critical skills. In addition, 100 employers participated in an industry survey to determine the importance of each of the 15 skills for prospective job candidates, firm-level job growth, educational and experience requirements for new hires, and recommendations for the community colleges.