Skills to Level Up Operational Technology (OT) Cybersecurity: A Quadrant-Based Analysis of Workforce Capabilities, Demand Trajectories, and Strategic Development Pathways

Abstract

With industrial control systems (ICS) becoming more interconnected with enterprise networks and cloud platforms and with global supply chains, operational technology (OT) cybersecurity has become critical discipline. This article considers a quadrant based skills framework, which categories twenty four professional skills on two dimensions, namely the dimension of essentialness, and the dimension of demand. The framework divides these competencies into four quadrants Core Skills, Emerging Skills, Steady Skills, and Out of Focus Skills, and further categorizes each of the skills into one of eight categories that encompass cognitive ability, technology fluency, management capability, interpersonal effectiveness, physical aptitude, self-efficacy, engagement traits, and ethical orientation. The discussion places the framework in the context of the history of the field of industrial cybersecurity, follows current workforce trends, outlines problems that remain and provides practical steps for individuals, organizations, and educators. The analysis shows that a successful OT cybersecurity program requires a multi-faceted portfolio of capabilities over and above a purely technical focus. The article ends by stating that organisations that can balance the basics of operations with the investment in new skills that will deal with future threats will have the best chance of maintaining the critical infrastructure upon which modern society relies, and that workforce strategies should continue to be adjusted to reflect changes in threats and technology.