Heat map to show where burning need is for cybersecurity pros

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is funding creation of a heat map visualization tool that will show where cybersecurity jobs are open across the country. The first rendition should be out late next year.

The project, funded through NIST’s National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), will provide data to help employers, job seekers, policy makers and others sync up. 

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Some 230,000 cybersecurity jobs are open across the U.S., according to the Department of Commerce, and the number of openings has roughly doubled over the past 4 or 5 years.

Job market analytics and research firm Burning Glass Technologies will partner with IT professional trade association CompTIA to develop the heat map tool, backed by a three-year grant. CompTIA has been awarded $249,000 in first-year funding.

The map will go beyond spitting out pretty color-coded images. It will slice and dice job postings by job titles, skills and more, and help workers figure out which degrees or certifications they really need to be in the running for jobs.

According to Burning Glass, cybersecurity jobs on average command a $6,500 annual salary premium over other IT jobs and take 8% longer to fill. Those positions that call for financial skills or security clearance are even tougher to fill.