The curvature at the edge of a London Underground platform, and the shape of the underground trains, leave a significant gap that could prove dangerous for passengers. For years, drivers and station attendants had the job of making sure passengers watched out for that space, or gap.
In 1968, London Underground saw the need to relieve its station attendants and drivers of some of their responsibilities. Their solution was to plan and create an automated message that warned passengers to “Mind the Gap” at every train stop. This phrase has become iconic throughout the world, stained to the minds of all who visit London.
A popular term in the Information Technology (IT) sector being discussed today is “the skills gap.” In short, the skills gap is what separates the trained workforce from the skills and expertise needed to perform responsibilities at a job in our fast-paced digital world.
Technology is changing every day, and there aren’t enough skilled employees to fill the positions being created by new tech. Studies have shown that this trend will continue through 2018.
“With employer demand for tech talent routinely outstripping supply, the year ahead will force more organizations to rethink their approaches to recruiting, training and talent management,” Said Graham Hunter, CompTIA vice president for skills certification in EMEA.
Certification training is going to play a significant role in managing the IT skills gap. A large complaint from employers is that recent college graduates are not ready for the challenges they will be facing at work. This is especially true when it comes to cybersecurity.
“Wonderful career opportunities exist for people who are interested in working in cybersecurity,” Said Diana Burley, a professor at George Washington University. “At the same time, because it is a new discipline, the term ‘cybersecurity education’ has meant different things to different people. As a result, many students graduating from cybersecurity programs often lack the requisite knowledge and skills needed to fit within an industry or government environment.”
There is an estimated 1.8M cybersecurity job roles that will be left vacant by the year 2022. Employers need trained individuals, or else their organization will be at risk of cybercrime.
Minding the IT skills gap means bridging it with better trained individuals. The workforce needs you, and it needs you ready. Technology is changing on the hour, and cyber criminals are getting more creative by the minute. Further your education and prepare yourself to jump the gap.
