Abstract:

Cybersecurity is a pressing topic, particularly in light of the recent adoption of the new NIS 2 directive within the European Union. This directive establishes cybersecurity requirements for member countries. Slovakia, as one of these nations, has incorporated the directive into national legislation through Act No. 69/2018 Coll. on Cybersecurity. A crucial aspect of this legislative framework is the need for skilled personnel in the field of cybersecurity.

The current cybersecurity situation in Slovakia underscores a significant challenge: a shortage of qualified experts in this field. According to current statistics, there is a deficit of approximately fifteen thousand IT professionals, with at least five thousand specializing in information and cybersecurity, as well as risk management. The assumption that the labor market will be saturated with qualified workers through higher education in accredited programs at universities is expected in 5-10 years. However, given the rapid trend of digitization in society, these estimates are considered rather conservative. To maintain societal competitiveness, it is crucial to prepare experts in the required fields well in advance.

High schools and higher education institutions with a focus on cybersecurity play a substantial role in addressing this deficiency. Apart from offering study programs specializing in information security, the Faculty of Security Engineering also provides accredited courses for secondary school teachers, equipping them with necessary and up-to-date information in this area. In this article, we analyze the fundamental knowledge in the field of cybersecurity and present the structure of the curricula provided by the Faculty of Security Engineering for secondary school teachers in the field of cybersecurity.

Keywords:

Cybersecurity, Skilled personnel, Digitization, Shortage.