Nearly one year after the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) issued its National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy (NCWES), the office released a report today outlining the progress to date and the next steps in building the nation’s cyber workforce.
The 60-page report provides a look into the initial stages of the strategy’s implementation, including actions taken by Federal agencies and the private sector to strengthen the cyber workforce.
“In our increasingly digital world, demand for cyber talent is only going to grow,” Seeyew Mo, the assistant national cyber director for workforce, training, and education, wrote in a blog post accompanying the report.
“We are at a crucial point where we all must work together – across the Federal government, private sector, academia and non-profits, and other stakeholders – and that’s exactly the action we called for in the National Cyber Education and Workforce Strategy (NCWES) released by the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) nearly a year ago,” he said.
Progress to Date
The report outlines several successes to date, including “unprecedented coordination across the interagency,” according to Mo. A total of 35 Federal departments and agencies participate in one or more of ONCD’s many working groups to support the objectives of the NCWES.
Another key success of the Biden-Harris administration is removing unnecessary barriers to cyber careers and leading by example in skill-based hiring. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is leading this initiative, with a plan to transition IT positions to a fully skills-based approach by the summer of 2025.
This pivot to a skills-based approach not only applies to Federal employees but also to Federal IT and cybersecurity contractors across the country.
The third success highlighted in the report is the Biden-Harris administration identifying Federal investments to fund Cyber Clinics and earn-and-learn Registered Apprenticeships programs.
The administration has connected more than 13,000 Americans with cyber apprenticeships nationwide. The National Security Agency (NSA) launched Cyber Clinics in Nevada, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Virginia – providing a hands-on learning opportunity for over 200 students.
Finally, with the Federal government’s help, over 100 organizations have made voluntary commitments that included $95 million in investments, hiring 13,000 workers, and training one million individuals in cyber.
Next Steps
While these successes are significant, the report also lays out what ONCD has left to accomplish.
“First, many Americans haven’t considered a job in cyber,” Mo explained. “While cyber professionals are part of a dynamic and diverse modern workforce, the ‘hacker in a hoodie’ stereotype is still widespread. We need to reframe that image to every American so more talented individuals from all backgrounds and disciplines can see themselves joining the cyber workforce.”
Over the next year, the Biden-Harris administration will work with stakeholders to hold cyber job fairs, with a focus on underrepresented populations in the cyber workforce – including women, people of color, and veterans, among others.
Second, ONCD plans to keep up with the increasing demand for cyber talent. In fiscal year (FY) 2024, it will seek to expand cyber learning opportunities and “increase the capacity of K-12 systems and institutions of higher education to teach rigorous cybersecurity content.”
Federal agencies will work with academia to expand cyber scholarship programs and further integrate cyber across academic disciplines.
ONCD, in collaboration with OPM and the Federal Cyber Workforce Working Group (FCWWG), will also lead a hiring surge to fill open Federal cyber positions in FY2024 and conduct cyber sprints.
Finally, as Mo put it, “The cyber workforce challenge is not a problem we can solve completely from Washington, D.C.” Instead, ONCD plans to empower local efforts to connect individuals to cyber education and jobs.
The National Cyber Workforce Coordination Group (NCWCG) – established by ONCD – and its working groups will connect with individuals across the country to “amplify the value of cyber workforce and education ecosystems and identify stakeholders willing to make additional voluntary commitments in fiscal years 2024 and 2025,” according to the report.
ONCD said it also plans to compile a cyber workforce and education ecosystem guide to include assistance for “community champions” looking to spark or support an ecosystem.
“Solving these challenges is imperative. But, as my team and I say often, these challenges also serve as an opportunity – an opportunity to share best practices, to continue building innovative partnerships, for the Federal Government to continue convening, investing, and leading by example,” Mo concluded.
