The Department of Defense (DoD) is calling on private companies, academic organizations, and non-profits that can provide certification, training, courses, or formal education to apply to the Pentagon’s Cyber Workforce Qualification Program.
The Cyberspace Workforce Management Board (CWMB), which manages and oversees the DoD Qualification Process, has established an open and continuous process available for interested certification, training, and academic degree providers supporting elements of the DoD Cyber Workforce.
Organizations applying to be accredited as part of the qualification program – which includes private companies, academia, colleges, or universities, military schools, non-governmental organizations, Federal, state, local agencies, and nonprofit organizations – will assess an individual cyber worker’s skill level and their work role.
The online application process for nominating certification or training consists of four progressive parts – each capturing key information about the applicant and their offerings. For example, in the automated assessment step, AI is applied to input data and includes opportunities for the provider to add self-evaluation and comments.
The applicants must “analyze and compare the certification or training exam proficiency level to the [DoD Cyberspace Workforce Framework] knowledge, skills, abilities, and tasks that are designated as ‘core’ for that work role,” according to the DoD notice.
Once the application is submitted, the DoD CIO Workforce Innovation Directorate will review the applications and release a decision along with the next steps.
The DoD plans to publish a program Standard Operating Procedure document to give providers additional information and guidance during the application processes.
