Rep. Ritchie Torres D-N.Y., introduced legislation on Dec. 2 that would direct the National Cyber Director (NCD) to create a Cyber Education Task Force aimed at increasing cybersecurity education and workforce diversity.
“The Task Force shall issue recommendations and guidance with respect to how to increase and promote cybersecurity courses, degrees, and programs in institutions of higher education in order to improve the diversity of the cybersecurity workforce,” according to the legislation’s text.
The legislation also would direct the NCD to work closely in that task with secretaries of Education and Labor, and the director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The task force would have a year to submit a report to Congress outlining recommendations on how to best increase cyber education in institutions of higher education. It would update that report every two years thereafter.
In particular, the legislation focuses on boosting cyber education at:
- Hispanic serving Institutions;
- Historically Black colleges of universities; and
- Tribal colleges and universities.
