Forty per cent of women who have left Australia’s cyber security workforce say their gender contributed to their decision, according to a new national report released today at the AISA Cyber Connect conference.

Funded by the Albanese Government’s Building Women’s Careers program, Cyber5050’s Decoding Cyber Security: Meeting national workforce needs and improving gender equity report draws on a survey of 346 cyber professionals across Australia. It finds women hold just 17 per cent of cyber security jobs nationally, well below the already low global average of 25 per cent — and that the cultural and structural barriers driving women out are real, measurable and largely unaddressed.

Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles, spoke at the launch of the report at AISA’s Cyber Connect conference in Canberra. The Minister said:

“There are enormous opportunities in Australia’s growing tech and cyber workforce – opportunities that we want to ensure women can make the most of. It’s a priority sector in our Government’s work to skill and upskill Australians for the future. There’s a responsibility for all of us – in governments, in industry and business, and in the wider community – to ensure we take down the barriers holding women back from a career in cyber.”

Other key findings include:

• 93 per cent of men reported feeling comfortable discussing their caring responsibilities with their manager.
• 70 per cent of women are motivated to work in cyber security in order to help protect against cybercrime.
• Positive experiences of receiving support from male colleagues can help prevent women from leaving the industry.
• 72 per cent of cyber professionals have experienced burnout, and 85 per cent regularly work additional hours.

Jacqui Loustau, AWSN Founder and Executive Director, said: “This report highlights the uncomfortable truth that burnout and attrition remain significant challenges in our sector. It reinforces that culture is central to attracting and retaining talent, and that there are meaningful actions everyone can take to create a safer, more sustainable industry for everyone.”

Helen McCabe, Founder and Managing Director of FW, said the findings should be a wake-up call for the sector.

“We cannot afford to keep losing talented women from this industry. This report shows the barriers are real, they are measurable, and they are fixable.”

John Paitaridis, CyberCX CEO, said “With women comprising just 17 per cent of Australia’s cyber security workforce, we must actively address the cultural and structural norms that currently shape the industry. Meaningful inclusion begins with intentional cultural change that reshapes how we attract, recruit and retain cyber security talent across all levels.”

The report makes eleven recommendations across two timeframes. Immediate actions include taking a zero-tolerance approach to microaggressions, bullying and sexual harassment; addressing workload and burnout; investing in inclusive recruitment; creating opportunities for career progression; and maintaining and expanding flexible work. Longer-term recommendations call on organisations to commit to culture change from the top, engage men as agents of change, report on gender leadership and pay gaps, and build long-term pipelines into the profession.

The Cyber5050 partnership brings together FW, CyberCX, the Australian Women in Security Network, the Australian Services Union and the Canberra Institute of Technology.

The full report is available at futurewomen.com/cyber5050/decoding-cyber-report.

Know a women working in cybersecurity or wanting to enter the industry? The Cyber Accelerator is a free, 12-month accelerator program designed to increase their confidence, connections and capabilities. Our next intake is in August. Learn about the program here.  Express your interest here.