Much has been made of the millennial generation — of their native technology understanding, changing perspectives on what constitutes an ideal workplace and focus on careers that provide intrinsic value rather than promised stability. Yet millennials have largely ignored the cybersecurity career track, contributing to the more than 1 million vacant security jobs in the American IT market.
According to Dark Reading, however, change may be coming as millennials take sides on the emerging domain of cybersecurity politics. According to a study released by Raytheon and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), more than half of millennials said a candidate’s position on cybersecurity matters would influence their vote.
For companies, this shift means opportunity: If they appeal to millennials’ political instincts, they may be able to onboard new cybersecurity talent amid the ongoing skills gap.
Millennials Take on Cybersecurity Politics
Half of the millennials surveyed also said the current U.S. election race has lacked meaningful discussion about cybersecurity. That isn’t to say the candidates are completely devoid of ideas, they’re just not getting top billing.
In Trump’s camp, for example, national cybersecurity measures are deemed critically important, along with freedom for victims of cyberattacks to counterstrike “as they see fit.” Net neutrality is also on the chopping block for the GOP.
Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, emphasizes funding STEM education in public schools, enabling high-speed broadband access for all Americans and ramping up efforts to curtail cyberespionage.
Growing Awareness
Encouragingly, the number of millennials who understand the role of cybersecurity professionals is growing. This year, that number jumped six points, from 39 to 45 percent.
Why the sudden boost? There are two likely causes. First is the high-profile nature of many cybersecurity events. Second, there’s also a growing awareness of cybersecurity’s value to the tech market at large. Not only are post-secondary schools starting to offer security-specific degree tracks, but most new graduates can easily find open positions that pay far better than other entry-level jobs.
As noted by Media Post, millennials are also testing the waters of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. A KPMG Consumer Loss Barometer study found that 74 percent of millennials recognize the security vulnerabilities inherent in these devices but would embrace IoT technology if vendors beefed up consumer protection.
Bridging the Age Gap
Along with their newfound political leanings, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) pointed out that millennials bring a unique view of technology with them to the workplace. Accustomed to cloud-based applications and unfettered social sharing, this generation may circumvent IT guidelines, or underrate the seriousness of file sharing or social missteps.
The result is an odd mix. Millennials have an enhanced interest in cybersecurity and a distinctly different idea about what that means for day-to-day operations.
Cybersecurity policy is the inflection point for millennial interest in the field. A growing recognition of large-scale impacts, personal tech risks and the lucrative job market are now driving more millennials than ever to pursue careers in IT security. And they’re sure to bring their own unique perspective to the corporate security environment.