Security News > 2022 > July > USA’s plan to build its cyber workforce, improve skills-based pathways to cyber jobs
The event focused on building the cyber workforce, improving skills-based pathways to cyber jobs, educating Americans so that they have the skills they need to thrive in a digital society, and improving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the cyber field.
These funds will be used to double the annual number of graduates of The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences over the next 5 years, launch a statewide Governor's Cyber Academy accessible to all high school students, and build and operate an applied research laboratory facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Fortinet is furthering its commitment to close the cyber skills gap by making its information security awareness and training service available for free for all K-12 school districts across the U.S. Girls Who Code will develop a coding challenge and activity sets focused on cybersecurity that will be geared toward middle and high school students, and implement workshops for Computer Science Education Week focused on cybersecurity and introductions to cryptography this fall.
IBM is creating more pathways to cybersecurity careers through its new Cybersecurity Leadership Centers with Historically Black Colleges & Universities and Minority Serving Institutions and is partnering with the American Council on Education to translate cybersecurity apprenticeships into college credits.
National Cyber Director Chris Inglis committed to developing a National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy in coordination with other elements of the Executive Office of the President as well as Federal departments and agencies, with input from key public and private stakeholders.
Specifically, 1) the National Security Agency is supporting an initiative by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education that will provide technical assistance to state and local educational agencies to accelerate the development, adoption, and implementation of middle grades CTE programs focused on emerging career pathways, such as space and cybersecurity; and 2) the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education will make its Cybersecurity Workforce Framework-which provides a range of cyber curricula and resources-easier to use for K-12 teachers and leaders by creating a K12 Educator FAQ resource.