Females in security roles increase fourfold: RMIT

More women are working in IT roles with a new RMIT report showing that females in specialist IT security roles have increased fourfold between 2016 to 2021.

The report from the RMIT’s Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation (CCSRI) has highlighted the stark underrepresentation of women in the cybersecurity workforce.

Over 50 percent of female respondents were strongly motivated to join the sector to make a difference in society, compared to 44 percent of male respondents.

Matt Warren director at CCSRI said the wider spectrum of educational backgrounds and motivations brought by females were valuable for diverse approaches to problem-solving, however the low level of women’s participation means the sector is still not operating at its full potential.

“Despite the rapid expansion of the cybersecurity workforce, the sector is characterised by a stark underrepresentation of women,” he said.  

“To achieve gender equity in the industry we need to understand the factors that deter women from joining or cause them to leave the sector and commit to fostering a workforce culture that embraces diversity as a strength.”

About half the female cybersecurity professional respondents had IT qualifications, compared to two-thirds of male cybersecurity professionals. 

Those females who have a mentor, 27 percent reported that they have a role model or mentor of the same gender, compared to 50 percent of men who had the male equivalent.

Minister for Cybersecurity Clare O’Neil said the report provides real insights into the lack of female role models and other barriers to women’s representation in our cybersecurity sector, based on research that has been sadly lacking in Australia until now.

She said, “Its recommendations can help put us on the path to achieving gender equity in the sector – without which, we won’t be able to achieve our true cybersecurity potential.”

Australian Women in Security Network (AWSN) Founder and Executive Director, Jacqui Loustau, said to accelerate the number of women entering, excelling and leading in the industry, we need to understand the current barriers and draw on learnings from other industries and countries.

“Although there has been progress in the number of women entering security over the years, it’s not fast enough,” said Loustau.

“To protect all Australians, the security workforce needs all types of people thinking innovatively, stopping threats, and advocating for security. This report will lead the way in what we can do more effectively to attract and retain a more diverse workforce for generations to come.”