The Federal government must invest in the emerging generation of cybersecurity and technology leaders to ensure the United States is prepared to participate in the changing digital landscape, a leading Federal security official and educator said this week.
During a NextGov/FCW virtual event on March 7, Dr. Amy Hamilton, visiting faculty chair for the Energy Department at the National Defense University, explained, “technology is ever evolving and the government needs leaders that possess a basic understanding of technology and cybersecurity.”
The emerging generation of the workforce has been immersed in innovative technology from a young age, and “by investing in that future workforce [the U.S.] will be ready to advance in the digital landscape,” she said.
“We have to start thinking about the infrastructure of the future and challenge traditional [ideologies],” Hamilton said. The key to that effort, she said, is “understanding the mindset of different generations in the workforce, highlighting how their experiences and exposure to technology have shaped their perspectives.”
Intergenerational collaboration within the Federal government is also critical to understanding the importance of understanding how past technological decisions impact current systems, as well as understanding how current systems are being built.
Hamilton explained that critical to this effort is educating the coming generation of the workforce in new and innovative ideas for cybersecurity. She explained that technology is ever evolving and “traditional cybersecurity models are faltering under these new strains.”
“There’s an opportunity to inspire a diverse new generation of cybersecurity experts who can bring fresh perspectives to tackling the industry’s challenges,” Hamilton said, while calling for innovative thinking and proactive cybersecurity measures to be adopted.
