82%. This is the proportion of players in the cybersecurity sector who identify human resources as their main challenge. Difficulties in recruiting, retaining or training the right profiles: concerns are growing, as confirmed by figures from the Cybersecurity Workforce Survey 2024. , launched in May by the National Cybersecurity Competence Center and published by the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity, gathered responses from 157 industry professionals and decision-makers over a 17-week period.
The first finding: almost two-thirds of the professionals (62.4%) started their careers outside Luxembourg, particularly in France, Belgium or Germany. It’s an indicator of the grand duchy’s attractiveness--stability, salaries, prospects--but also a sign of its dependence on foreign talent.
Despite their intention to stay for the long term (87.9%), these professionals point to a number of warning signs: a lack of prospects for career development (19%), high housing costs (17%) and inflexible teleworking policies (14%). Almost half of respondents (49.1%) even doubt the ability of the local market to offer long-term growth opportunities.
More diverse profiles and more specific needs
The market is changing rapidly and is opening up to new career paths: 26% of respondents have moved into cybersecurity, often from IT or software development backgrounds. More than half (56.7%) said they had changed sectors before entering the field.
Whilst management positions account for 33.8% of the workforce, demand is growing for specialist technical profiles, particularly intrusion testers, a sign of a shift towards more offensive security strategies.
Despite the uncertainties expressed about the development of the local market, Luxembourg continues to attract interest: 48% of the professionals surveyed are actively looking for opportunities in the grand duchy. This dynamic is driven by the ICT, finance and insurance sectors, where the protection of sensitive data remains a priority issue.
Teleworking: a major sticking point
Is cybersecurity a strategic lever or a mere regulatory obligation? The sector is still in a state of flux. For 38.7% of those surveyed, it remains above all a compliance imperative. But a trend is emerging: 32.3% also see it as an obligation and a catalyst for growth.
The report does more than just take stock. It suggests a number of courses of action, such as promoting junior profiles, encouraging internships and retraining, investing in continuing training and adopting a “skills first” approach, favouring real skills over perfect CVs.
Finally, the issue of teleworking emerges as central: 77% of participants express concern about the shortage of talent and the challenges posed by remote working. These are all elements that outline the contours of a changing market, where human resources management is becoming a strategic issue in its own right.
This article was originally published in .