Cyber Skills: Europe’s Hidden Vulnerability in Critical Infrastructure

We need to accept that we now exist in an era where technology is powerful enough to do amazing things, but also that it has huge potential to be dangerous. Cyberattacks can shut down hospitals, energy grids, and transport systems in minutes. The scarier thing is, Europe’s critical infrastructure is only as strong as its cyber workforce, yet across the continent, a dangerous gap persists not in technology, but in talent. 

The Reality: Cyber Skills Shortages Are a Strategic Risk 

A recent Eurobarometer survey revealed that: 

• 74% of European companies have not conducted any cybersecurity training for staff 
• 76% of cybersecurity professionals lack formal qualifications or certified training 
• Over half of organisations struggle to hire cyber talent, citing a lack of qualified candidates and budget constraints 

This isn’t just a hiring problem. It’s a resilience problem. When cyber roles are underfilled or undertrained, the risk isn’t theoretical, it's very real.

The Disconnect: Cyber Is a Boardroom Issue, Not Just an IT Concern 

Despite rising threats, many organisations still treat cybersecurity as a technical silo. But in critical infrastructure, where downtime can mean lives lost or national disruption, cyber must be embedded into every layer of strategy, procurement, and workforce planning. 

Ask yourself: 

Is your cyber hiring reactive or strategic? 

Are your procurement processes aligned with cyber risk? 

Does your board understand the talent implications of NIS2, DORA, and the Cyber Resilience Act? 

Who’s Getting It Right? Lessons from Across Europe 

The CyberHubs report, a project cofounded by the European Union, analysed seven EU countries (Belgium, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Spain) and uncovered key insights: 

• Estonia

  • Strength: Strong focus on emerging tech (AI, blockchain)

  • Lesson: Invest early in future-facing skill sets

• Hungary

  • Strength: Targeted secure coding and cloud security

  • Lesson: Align training with evolving threat vectors

• Spain

  • Strength: High demand for incident responders

  • Lesson: Prioritise operational readiness roles

• Belgium

  • Strength: Emphasis on risk management and continuity

  • Lesson: Integrate cyber into business strategy

• Lithuania

  • Strength: Strong collaboration with academia

  • Lesson: Build national talent pipelines

These countries may not be cyber-perfect, but what they are doing is experimenting, investing, and learning. The rest of Europe must follow suit. 

What Needs to Change: From Siloed Hiring to Strategic Workforce Planning 

Europe’s response must be coordinated, cross-sector, and future-proof. That means: 

• Embedding cyber roles into critical infrastructure workforce strategies 
• Upskilling existing staff especially in OT environments 
• Partnering with specialist recruiters who understand high assurance hiring 
• Investing in diversity and alternative pathways (e.g. apprenticeships, career changers) to futureproof their talent pipeline 

The EU’s Cyber Skills Academy is a step forward, but it’s not enough on its own.  

Organisations must take ownership of their cyber talent strategy, or risk falling behind. 

Final Thought: Cyber Talent Is National Resilience 

Europe is pumping billions into digital infrastructure but without the right people to protect it, those investments are exposed. Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical discipline. It’s a matter of economic stability, public safety, and geopolitical strength. 

The question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in cyber talent. It’s whether you can afford not to. 

Partnering with LAi 

We don’t just fill cyber roles. We build capability. As Europe’s number 1 supplier of g security-cleared Digital and Technolgy talent, we understand the complexity, urgency, and assurance required to support critical infrastructure across both public and private sectors. 

When you partner with us, you gain access to: 

• Unrivalled Reach: With over 40 years of experience and a global delivery footprint spanning 90 countries across 5 continents, we support some of the most secure and demanding programmes in the world. 
• Security-Cleared Expertise: We hold the highest levels of Government and Defence accreditations, enabling us to deploy talent into environments where trust and clearance are non-negotiable. 
• Agile Delivery Models: From permanent hires to fully managed project teams, we tailor our approach to meet your operational and strategic needs. 
• Compliance and Assurance: We’re ISO9001, ISO27001, and Cyber Essentials Plus certified, because in critical infrastructure, governance isn’t optional. 

Whether you're building cyber resilience in energy, transport, healthcare or defence, LA International is your strategic partner in securing the talent that protects your mission. 

Let’s build a safer, smarter Europe.