Welcome to “Ask Deb from QA,” a new column from MxD.
Every week, Deb from QA — with decades of experience on the factory floor — will answer your questions to demystify and explain the digital manufacturing industry.
Please submit your questions to debfromqa@mxdusa.org
Hello Deb: I need to hire for manufacturing cybersecurity roles at my factory, but candidates are scarce. Where should I look?
I don’t know about you, but ol’ Deb thinks this is a good problem, all things considered.
Right now, in this uncertain economic climate, plenty of industries out there are having to cut back. Staff is being furloughed, or worse, laid off.
But in manufacturing, specifically in cybersecurity, it’s a different story. There are well-paying positions out there just waiting to be filled. By some estimates, about 500,000 jobs. So it’s no surprise that you’re finding candidates scarce.
I see two ways of increasing your candidate pool.
The first is to look within. Find a current employee at your factory or another — perhaps someone working the factory floor, an engineer, a shift manager — who’s looking to grow.
You can point to the fact that cybersecurity is a burgeoning sector, with a higher salary ceiling.
With some upskilling (and here’s where you-the-employer need to provide the resources), transitioning to a cybersecurity career is within reach. But it will take time, so I think you should start training your workforce for future openings now — they’re inevitable.
My second suggestion involves a bit more creativity: Look outside of manufacturing.
Sadly in these times, plenty of people in retail and hospitality (to name two struggling fields) are looking for jobs. Look for people doing cybersecurity work in those industries. Yes, they’ll need to learn manufacturing, but they won’t need to learn cyber.
Either way, you should sell this point: Manufacturing cybersecurity jobs are plentiful and they pay well. Who wants in?
Assuring quality,
Deb
Download MxD’s Hiring Guide: Cybersecurity in Manufacturing, which identifies 247 cybersecurity job roles and the skills, education and training needed to fill them. It’s a must-read for HR and manufacturing execs.
Check out last week’s Ask Deb here:
Digital manufacturing only for big companies?
Deb from QA wants to hear your questions. Send ‘em to debfromqa@mxdusa.org and she’ll answer as soon she’s done with her shift.