COOKEVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 30, 2023
In February 2023, Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) joined forces with DEI analytics firm Aleria to initiate a pioneering study to uncover the underlying causes of career disparities for women in cybersecurity. The study sheds light on the barriers that impede their recruitment, retention and advancement in the workforce. WiCyS has scheduled additional “Measuring Inclusion” workshops in December to share prior findings and to gather additional data from the community to ensure everyone’s voice is heard.
Workshop participants will learn how inclusion can create happier employees and greater performance with no guilt and no backlash. During the workshop all participants have the option to take part in an interactive, anonymous activity to measure inclusion. WiCyS and Aleria will incorporate the insights gathered from these workshops into the 2023 “State of Inclusion in Cybersecurity” benchmark study.
The State of Inclusion study seeks to identify adverse workplace experiences contributing to an overall sense of exclusion among women and underrepresented individuals. These experiences significantly impact satisfaction levels, productivity and retention. To expand on the preliminary findings of this study, WiCyS encourages all members of the workforce, including men, women and allies, to participate in any one of the eight hour-long workshops scheduled for December 5-8.
“The pioneering study results were fascinating,” states Lynn Dohm, WiCyS executive director. “We pinpointed women experiencing a glass ceiling at around six years within an organization. Additionally, we identified that 57% of women experienced ‘career growth and advancement’ as a strong contributor to their experiences of exclusion. Having this data is important for us as a nonprofit to open up the conversation within the industry to help them overcome these barriers for women on their teams and be intentional on their initiatives to ensure the results achieve the success they are seeking.”
“All participants in our workshops, regardless of identity or professional characteristics, enjoy learning about the value of measuring inclusion, and how a focus on inclusion can benefit everyone without creating the backlash that has been associated with other DEI initiatives,” says Aleria chief scientist Paolo Gaudiano. “Participating in the optional, confidential interactive activity also contributes to our benchmark study and ensures that everyone’s voice is heard.”
All individuals, regardless of identity, employed in a cyber company or a cybersecurity-related role in any business type—consultants, entrepreneurs, teachers or students—are encouraged to participate. Secure your spot today and register for one of eight available workshops conducted between Dec. 5 and 8 at http://www.wicys.org/initiatives/wicys-state-of-inclusion.
About WiCyS
Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) is a nonprofit organization with international reach dedicated to the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in cybersecurity. Founded by Dr. Ambareen Siraj through a National Science Foundation grant given to Tennessee Tech University in 2013, WiCyS offers opportunities, trainings, events, and resources for its community and members. Strategic partners include Tier 1: Akamai Technologies, Amazon, AT&T Cybersecurity, Battelle, Bloomberg, Carnegie Mellon University – Software Engineering Institute, Cisco, DeVry University, Ford Motor Company, Fortinet, Google, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Optum, Sandia National Laboratories, SentinelOne. Tier 2: Accenture, Intel, JPMorgan Chase & Co., McKesson, MITRE, Motorola Solutions, Navy Federal Credit Union, NCC Group, Workday, Yubico Inc. To partner, visit http://www.wicys.org/support/strategic-partnerships.
Media Contact
Lynn Dohm, Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), 815-530-7307, [email protected], https://www.wicys.org/
SOURCE Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)
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