IWD 2025: Attracting Women to Cybersecurity with a Human-Centric Approach

Let's kick off International Women's Day 2025 by acknowledging the elephant in the room. According to the 2023 report commissioned by the Australian Women in Security Network (AWSN), Gender Dimensions of the Australian Cyber Security Sector, the number of women in cybersecurity in Australia is estimated to be around 17 per cent, and women tend to leave the industry after four years.

While we could unpack and pontificate why that is, it will be more helpful to focus on what we can do to change it.

Attracting and retaining more women in cybersecurity

Humans respond to 'what's in it for me' WIIFM. Therefore, take some time to consider the internal and external WIIFM factors of pathways and roles in cybersecurity. If you are talking to a future cybersecurity professional in high school or advertising for a role in your organisation, take a more human-centric approach. I am often asked, "I want to get into cybersecurity, and I don't know where to start". My response is always to ask open-ended questions designed to get to the person's core motivation.

Motivation takes many forms; values, interests, strengths, preferences, skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Whatever the motivation, there is a role in cybersecurity that matches it.

This rings true for our high school and university students, employees working in other sectors, and those of us already working in cybersecurity. The latter group has transferable skills and is incredibly valuable to any cybersecurity team.

Here are some examples of motivators, statements of purpose and cybersecurity roles that would suit a motivation type.

HELPING: I want to help people be safe online. Your role could be a Security Awareness Training Manager.

ETHICAL: I want to use my hacking skills for good. How about trying out as a Penetration Tester.

GUIDING: I want to help companies find the right tools and technologies to keep them safe. You could be a  Cybersecurity Sales Engineer.

PROTECTING: I want to design systems that keep cyber criminals out. You could be a Security Architect.

RESPONSIBLE: I want to ensure people's personal information is handled responsibly. You could explore being a Privacy Officer.

JUSTICE: I want to investigate cybercrimes and stop cybercriminals from breaking the law. A Forensic Analyst might be a good fit.

Ways to spotlight a career in cybersecurity

Career spotlight sessions provide a glimpse into the world of cybersecurity. If you can, include a few examples of people with different pathways into relevant cybersecurity roles.

While mentor programs are excellent, they can be challenging. Over the years, my experience has been to keep them short or create 'situational mentorship', where mentors are selected based on the mentee's needs at any given time.

Organise networking events. It is the best way to build relationships with women looking to get into cybersecurity. I can promise that conversations are ready to be had to attract women into cybersecurity. Networking sessions are often a two-way street; it's a good way for students or employees working in other sectors to get to know more about cybersecurity through the lens of people already working in them and current cybersecurity professionals get to learn and hear from them as well as impart their own experience

Offer training and development programs, both cybersecurity-related and related to soft skills, such as leadership, communication, stakeholder management, change management, project management, etc. This is a great way for people looking to upskill and learn more about the cybersecurity industry.

Promote organisations and associations that focus on women in cybersecurity. We have some great ones in Australia, such as the Australian Women in Security Network and Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS).

So, what can we do?

All of this is good in theory. However, to make a real difference, businesses must take proactive steps to encourage bright female talent to join the industry and bring a human-centric approach to how we talk about a career in cybersecurity.

By raising awareness of cybersecurity careers among women and championing diversity, companies not only empower women but also strengthen the industry's ability to tackle evolving cyber threats.

This is my eighth International Women's Day with a cybersecurity lens; not much has changed. Maybe flipping the pathway into cybersecurity with what motivates us will help the cause.