Strategic Plan for Cyber Security Education


Governments understands the importance of cyber security for nation’s skill building and developing plans.

In USA; The President’s Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP) calls for the development of a Cybersecurity Core Curriculum that will ensure cybersecurity graduates who wish to join the Federal Government have the requisite knowledge and skills. The execution of this tasking will be through the solicitation of grants to develop specified Cybersecurity Core Curriculum and other educational related tools and assessments that are in alignment with the National Initiative for CyberSecuirty Education (NICE) DRAFT National CyberSecurity Workforce Framework (DRAFT NCWF).

The Strategic Plan for their Cyber Security Education are as follows:

Vision:

A digital economy enabled by a knowledgeable and skilled cybersecurity workforce.

Mission: 

To energize and promote a robust network and an ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development.

Values:

  • Seek Evidence – inform actions or decisions with data and pursue objective and reliable sources of information
  • Pursue Action – create concrete steps towards deliverable outcomes to achieve mission and goals
  • Challenge Assumptions – examine rationale for past and present education, training, and workforce approaches and apply critical analysis to future solutions
  • Drive Change – seek creative and innovative solutions that might disrupt or defy the status quo
  • Stimulate Innovation – inspire and experiment with new approaches to education, training, and skills development
  • Foster Communication – raise awareness of cybersecurity education and workforce issues and encourage openness to build trust
  • Facilitate Collaboration – combine the knowledge and skills of multiple stakeholders with multiple viewpoints to achieve the best outcomes
  • Share Resources – leverage, support, and raise awareness of community-developed approaches and solutions
  • Model Inclusion – encourage participation from stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints
  • Measure Results – assess the effectiveness of results through both quantitative metrics and qualitative measures

Goal #1 Accelerate Learning and Skills Development

Inspire a sense of urgency in both the public and private sectors to address the shortage of skilled cybersecurity workers

Objectives:

1.1    Stimulate the development of approaches and techniques that can more rapidly increase the supply of qualified cybersecurity workers

1.2    Advance programs that reduce the time and cost for obtaining knowledge, skills, and abilities for in-demand work roles

1.3    Engage displaced workers or underemployed individuals who are available and motivated to assume cybersecurity work roles

1.4    Experiment with the use of apprenticeships and cooperative education programs to provide an immediate workforce that can earn a salary while they learn the necessary skills

1.5    Explore methods to identify gaps in cybersecurity skills and raise awareness of training that addresses identified workforce needs

Goal #2 Nurture a Diverse Learning Community

Strengthen education and training across the ecosystem to emphasize learning, measure outcomes, and diversify the cybersecurity workforce

Objectives:

2.1    Improve education programs, co-curricular experiences, and training and certifications

2.2    Encourage tools and techniques that effectively measure and validate individual aptitude, knowledge, skills, and abilities

2.3    Inspire cybersecurity career awareness with students in elementary school, stimulate cybersecurity career exploration in middle school, and enable cybersecurity career preparedness in high school

2.4    Grow creative and effective efforts to increase the number of women, minorities, veterans, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented populations in the cybersecurity workforce

2.5    Facilitate the development and dissemination of academic pathways for cybersecurity careers

Goal #3 Guide Career Development and Workforce Planning

Support employers to address market demands and enhance recruitment, hiring, development, and retention of cybersecurity talent

Objectives:

3.1    Identify and analyze data sources that support projecting present and future demand and supply of qualified cybersecurity workers

3.2    Publish and raise awareness of the National Cybersecurity Workforce Framework and encourage adoption

3.3    Facilitate state and regional consortia to identify cybersecurity pathways addressing local workforce needs

3.4    Promote tools that assist human resource professionals and hiring managers with recruitment, hiring, development, and retention of cybersecurity professionals

3.5   Collaborate internationally to share best practices in cybersecurity career development and workforce planning