@article{118,
  author = {Jessica Dawson and Robert Thomson},
  title = {The Future Cybersecurity Workforce: Going Beyond Technical Skills for Successful Cyber Performance},
  abstract = { This paper reviews the literature on cyber expertise and cyber workforce development to identify gaps and then argues for the important contribution of social fit in the highly complex and heterogenous cyber workforce. We then identify six assumptions for the future of cybersecurity workforce development, including the requirement for systemic thinkers, team players, a love for continued learning, strong communication ability, a sense of civic duty, and a blend of technical and social skill. Finally, we make recommendations for social and cognitive metrics which may be indicative of future performance in cyber work roles to provide a roadmap for future scholars.},
  year = {2018},
  journal = {Frontiers Media SA},
  month = {2018-06-12},
  issn = {1664-1078},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00744/full},
  doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00744},
  note = {We believe that the path forward requires a re-evaluation of the cyber workforce with the goal of empirically measuring not only technical aptitudes, but organizational and social fit. We need to go beyond structured interviews to determine the cognitive underpinnings of expertise to determine the correct work roles where an individual may be predisposed to succeed. In addition, the cyber domain is so new that we also need sociologists and organizational management researchers to develop paradigms for assessing team performance in the complex and constantly evolving cyber defense landscape. Perhaps the ideal cyber workforce is higher in pure cognitive ability and lower on any personality traits or aspirational values. If this is the case, then cognitive assessments may be highly predictive of career success in many cyber work roles. If organizational fit is most important – because middle management and key decision-makers must understand the problems that cyber professionals endeavor to communicate – then purely cognitive indicators may not be that predictive of future performance.},
}