One of the most common complaints cybersecurity professionals voice about their employers is that they have to pay for certifications out of their own pockets. It’s not a trivial issue, since workers consider certifications their number one career hurdle, according the (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2019 .

Based on study findings, most employers don’t pay their cybersecurity workers’ certification fees. Considerably fewer than half of respondents in the study (37%) say their employers pay for them while 21% say they share the cost with employers. More than one third of respondents (35%) pay for all of their own cybersecurity certification costs.

For many, having to pay for certifications themselves is a problem because of the associated costs. It’s the most common career hurdle cited by study respondents, topping other hurdles such as “unclear career path opportunities in cybersecurity roles,” “lack of knowledge about cybersecurity skills within organizations,” and the “cost of formal education to properly prepare for a career in cybersecurity.”

In some cases, it’s likely that cybersecurity professionals don’t pursue certifications because of cost. This can adversely affect their career prospects considering that 54% of employers require vendor-neutral certifications and 50% require vendor-specific certifications, according to the study. It’s no wonder then that 55% of respondents consider vendor-neutral certifications very important and 45% feel the same way about vendor-specific certifications.

Retention Strategy

The Cybersecurity Workforce Study found that nearly one quarter of respondents (23%) currently are pursuing certifications and 43% plan to do so within a year. A strong majority of study participants (81%) say they need additional certifications or training.

The good news for them is that nearly half of organizations represented in the study are planning to increase their security training budgets within a year. Hopefully, this translates into a greater number of employers picking up the tab for employee certifications.

Doing so is a good retention strategy for employers. With the cybersecurity workforce shortage now reaching more than 4 million, according to the study, companies need to find effective ways to not only attract cybersecurity professionals but also retain experienced workers already in their employ.

“The majority of cybersecurity professionals feel that certifications are critical to their success, and those working for organizations that pay for their certifications are significantly more satisfied in their role (72%) than those working for organizations that don’t (63%),” the study found.

For most organizations, paying for cybersecurity certifications is a modest investment with healthy dividends. It takes the stress off workers to pay for the certifications, which increases their job satisfaction levels and makes them more likely to stay with their current employers for the long term.