The security of the European Union cannot be guaranteed without the EU’s most valuable resource: its people. The EU urgently needs professionals with the skills and competences to prevent, detect, deter, and defend the EU against cyberattacks.
In 2022, the shortage of cybersecurity professionals in the EU ranged between 260,000 and 500,000, while the EU’s cybersecurity workforce needs were estimated at 883,000 professionals. In addition, women only amounted to 20% of cybersecurity graduates and to 19% of information and communications technology specialists.

As part of the 2023 European Year of Skills, the Commission adopted a Communication on a Cybersecurity Skills Academy (“the Cyber Skills Academy”) on 18 April 2023. 
The Cyber Skills Academy is a European policy initiative aiming to bring together existing initiatives on cyber skills and improve their coordination, in view of closing the cybersecurity talent gap and boosting EU’s competitiveness, growth and resilience.