Cybersecurity and IT professionals are among the most in-demand workers in Canada today. As our world becomes increasingly digital, threats to our financial institutions, healthcare systems, businesses, and government operations continue to rise. Cyberattacks can disrupt essential services, compromise sensitive data, and cost billions of dollars in damages.

Canada urgently needs a skilled cybersecurity and IT informed workforce to protect our digital infrastructure and economy. From ethical hackers and security analysts, to penetration testers and network security support — cybersecurity professionals work tirelessly to prevent breaches, detect threats, and mitigate risks.

Despite this growing demand, Canada faces a significant talent shortage in this industry. Without swift action to build a sustainable pipeline of professionals – businesses and public institutions will struggle to keep up with the constantly evolving threats posed by cybercriminals and foreign adversaries.

Digital threat actors and cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to defend against. In 2022, nearly 70% of Canadians experienced a cybersecurity incident, with 40% of those cases involving exploitative frauds. Data breaches are becoming more common and lucrative for fraudsters, who often target Canada’s most vulnerable populations. Some of these criminals are even backed by Canada’s adversaries abroad. Foreign interference and state-sponsored cybercrime are rapidly emerging as most pressing issues at the federal level.

In its brand-new National Cyber Security Strategy, the federal government recognizes the urgency to train the Canada cybersecurity workforce and has called for a “whole of society” engagement to improve Canada’s national cyber resilience. Cybersecurity work is highly technical and practical, demanding expertise in network security, risk management, penetration testing, and data protection. These skills are increasingly vital as businesses and governments across Canada rely on technology to operate efficiently and securely.

Career colleges play a critical role in bridging this skills gap, offering tailored programs that equip learners with the knowledge and certifications needed to enter the workforce immediately. Whether training individuals for entry-level roles or upskilling professionals looking to transition into cybersecurity – regulated career colleges provide industry-aligned education that prepares graduates for real-world security challenges.

To address Canada’s cybersecurity workforce crisis, federal and provincial governments must recognize and support career colleges as part of the solution to closing Canada’s skills gap. Cybersecurity training programs at regulated career colleges are actively working to ensure that more individuals have the skills that are critical to making Canada a global leader in cybersecurity. Our institutions are providing professionals that can be mobilized across both the public and private sector to protect Canadians from fraud and safeguard their privacy.