Ireland showcases Cyber Skills Leadership at CyberHubs EU gathering

Author: Carmel Somers, Human Capital Strategist at Digital Technology Skills (DTSL)

Last week (8th October 2025), I had the privilege of representing Digital Technology Skills, who along with Cyber Ireland are partners in the CyberHubs EU skills project. Delegates from the European CyberHubs network gathered at Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny, Ireland ahead of the Cyber Ireland National Conference to explore how Ireland has evolved its cybersecurity programmes and collaboration models to build a strong, future-ready cybersecurity workforce.

I was delighted to join the panel, titled Cyber Skills for Europe: Lessons from Ireland’s Talent Landscape, where we discussed the rapidly changing landscape of cybersecurity roles and skills.

In my contribution, I highlighted the growing need for hybrid roles that combine deep technical cybersecurity expertise with business acumen and power skills, such as critical and systems thinking, analytical capability, and strong communication skills. These roles are essential to help translate complex technical challenges into clear insights that inform leadership and drive better decision-making across organisations.

As a panel, we also spoke to the power of collaboration, particularly the triple helix of government support, industry co-funding, and academia working together to co-design and deliver programmes. From Master’s degrees to micro-credentials, these flexible learning pathways are essential to address the growing cybersecurity skills gap.

Through my involvement in EU-funded initiatives such as Digital4Business – which makes digital skills accessible to all professionals – and Digital4Security – which focuses on cybersecurity leadership aligned with the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) framework – I’ve seen first-hand how collaborative projects can accelerate skills development across the 27 EU Member States.

These initiatives not only strengthen national capabilities but also foster a shared European approach to building the skills needed to secure our digital future.