Continuing Professional Education in Cybersecurity: What Works and What Does Not
APA Citation
Saxon, D. & Bhandari, N. (2023). Continuing Professional Education in Cybersecurity: What Works and What Does Not. *Cybersecurity*. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42400-023-00189-4
View original paper →What Did This Cybersecurity Research Find?
This cybersecurity professional development study surveyed 1,500 certified professionals about their CPE (continuing professional education) activities and correlated activity types with skill currency and career outcomes. Cybersecurity professionals who spent CPE hours on hands-on lab work and conference workshops showed measurably higher skill currency scores than those who fulfilled CPE requirements through webinars and reading alone.
Key Findings
- 1Hands-on lab CPE activities correlated with 34% higher skill currency scores
- 2Conference workshop attendance was the second most effective CPE format
- 3Webinar-only CPE fulfillment showed no measurable skill currency improvement
- 4Reading-based CPE was effective only when combined with practice-based activities
- 5Professionals spending 60%+ of CPE hours on passive formats reported lower confidence in new technologies
How Does This Apply to Cybersecurity Careers?
Certified professionals making CPE choices can prioritize activities that actually maintain skill currency. Certification bodies can redesign CPE requirements based on which activities produce genuine learning.
Who Should Read This?
Frequently Asked Questions
What did this cybersecurity research find?
This cybersecurity professional development study surveyed 1,500 certified professionals about their CPE (continuing professional education) activities and correlated activity types with skill currency and career outcomes. Cybersecurity professionals who spent CPE hours on hands-on lab work and conference workshops showed measurably higher skill currency scores than those who fulfilled CPE requirements through webinars and reading alone.
How is this research relevant to cybersecurity careers?
Certified professionals making CPE choices can prioritize activities that actually maintain skill currency. Certification bodies can redesign CPE requirements based on which activities produce genuine learning.
Where was this cybersecurity research published?
This study was published in Cybersecurity in 2023. The DOI is 10.1186/s42400-023-00189-4. Access the original paper through the publisher link above.
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