Latvian Cyber Workforce of Tomorrow: Closing the Gap

Cybersecurity is a growing multidisciplinary job cluster in the labour market that nowadays goes beyond information technology specialists. This research paper explores the current situation and emerging gaps in cybersecurity education and employment in Latvia, specifically looking at future skills and strategies advancing human performance in the field. In the context of growing cybersecurity regulation in Europe, the workforce shortage will only increase. The research was performed by evaluating Latvian education offerings against cybersecurity competence models and skills frameworks, engaging with three focus groups of industry, governance, and education experts, and surveying organisations that require cybersecurity specialists. The study shows that organizations lack several cybersecurity roles, with the biggest emphasis on digital forensics investigators, cybersecurity architects and cybersecurity researchers. In terms of the missing competencies, organizations highlight digital forensics and cyber threat intelligence. It was concluded that cybersecurity education in Latvia is fragmented and lacks a dedicated national coordinating body. Education gaps are often filled by employers, and future education offerings should be created in close coordination with industry partners.