Rising Demand for Cyber Security Skills

Cybersecurity, data analytics, mobile and development skills will be in strong demand among Irish employers in 2019.

Predicted by Eolas Recruitment Managing Director, Vincent Flynn, who also says that competition has intensified because the same skills that are in demand in technology companies are also being sought in other sectors, notably financial services, retail and manufacturing.

“Throughout 2018, we have seen more employers turn to temporary staff to fill gaps as well as investing in developing their existing teams. Some employers are looking to recruit abroad where they have difficulty sourcing skills in the domestic market,” Flynn said.

“Looking ahead to 2019, employers will need to monitor and review the packages their competitors offer to candidates keeping in mind that’s it not just about salary—non-financial benefits such as training, mentoring and flexible working are also important when recruiting IT talent.

“Candidates need to be aware that many companies delay hiring at this time of year for budgetary reasons however employers are preparing to fill vacant roles in the New Year. So, candidates thinking about making a move in 2019 should be getting their CVs up to date now,” Flynn said.

Businesses spending more on cybersecurity

Flynn says employers are increasing investment in cybersecurity to protect their businesses. In Ireland, cybercrime has taken over from asset misappropriation as the most prevalent economic crime. PwC’s 2018 Irish economic crime survey found that the incidence of cybercrime (61%) in Ireland is double that experienced by global companies (31%). Not only is reported economic crime and fraud on the increase, so too is the amount that companies are spending to fight it. PwC says this investment needs to continue over the next two years as the rate, complexity and sophistication of economic crime and fraud increases.

To meet the growing demand for skills, a Cybersecurity Skills Initiative launched in October 2018 sets out a comprehensive plan to train 5,000 people in 4,000 companies over the next three years while some Springboard ICT programmes provide free places for individuals in receipt of a social protection payment and ‘returners’  re-entering the workforce to pursue a career in cybersecurity.

Global shortage of cybersecurity skills

Ireland is not alone in experiencing a cybersecurity skills shortage.  EY’s Global Information Security Survey 2018-19 cites estimates of a global shortfall of about 1.8 million security professionals within five years. Even in the most well-resourced sectors, organisations are struggling to recruit the expertise they need.

Another global survey of IT professionals by research and strategy group, ESG, found that cybersecurity represents the biggest area where organisations have a problematic shortage of skills, followed by IT architecture/planning and server/virtualisation administration.

Data analysts and developers in demand as companies compete for cybersecurity skills

Eolas Recruitment is seeing more companies compete for candidates with the potential to advance into specialist roles in areas like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Data analyst and developer skills, in particular, are in demand at present, Flynn says.

“Employers are interested in candidates with strong technical and good communication skills. The ability to adapt to rapidly evolving technologies and willingness to continuously learn are also very important to employers at present. We expect demand for individuals who can create insights and opportunities from data and protect organisations from risk to remain strong in the coming year. For candidates with the right skills, these roles provide a good foundation from which to advance into more specialised areas.”

To find out more about hiring or applying for roles in the IT sector, check out Eolas Recruitment’s client testimonials and online reviews or contact Eolas for more information and details of current opportunities.”

Notes to Editors

About Eolas Recruitment

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Bray, Co Wicklow, Eolas Recruitment is a specialist IT recruitment agency serving a wide variety of high-profile clients across Ireland.

Reference: Vincent Flynn, Managing Director

Phone:  +353 1 2866666