Moderator:  Paul Tortora, Deputy Assistant National Cyber Director for Workforce & Education, Office of National Cyber Director

Challenge statement:  With over 700,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs national wide, the workforce gap continuing to widen, and our nation increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks that threaten national security, our nation is at cross-roads. 

Suggested questions to explore:  

• How can the US launch and sustain a national effort?
• Can we define “cybersecurity” as an easily-comprehended profession?
• How can we clarify/simplify cybersecurity education pathways and access from secondary to higher education?
• How can we rapid-develop subject matter experts/trainers?
• How can we help young people and other citizens see themselves in a career in cyber?
• Would tuition assistance/scholarships incentivize students to enter this field?
• Is there a need for transitional programs into employment (e.g. workforce preparation bootcamps)?

Moderator:  Marie Bruin, Director for Workforce Education, State Board of Community & Technical Colleges

Challenge statement:  There is a nationwide shortage of qualified professionals pursuing teaching positions at secondary institutions and community colleges. This shortage is impacting the introduction and preparation of secondary students for cybersecurity education pathways, as well as the ability for community colleges to serve all potentially interested cyber degree-seeking students, improving their curriculum and supporting related student success initiatives on their campus.    

Suggested questions to explore:  

• What are best practices for attracting and retaining teachers and faculty in the face of highly competitive wages in industry?
• Can we implement loan forgiveness/tuition for commitment to teach at a community college?
• What supports can be provided for faculty in way of funding for certifications, training, bonus pay?
• What are opportunities for successfully recruiting educators from non-traditional sources?
• How can we better align teacher/faculty hiring requirements with actual skills needed to teach cybersecurity?
• What are resources/new initiatives to rapidly scale knowledge and skills of potential teachers/faculty?

Moderator:  Karen Wetzel, Manager, National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Framework

Challenge statement:  It is critical for the U.S to be able to accurately report on and track the alignment of cybersecurity educational programs and their graduates.  It is anticipated that much of the educational program coding at community colleges is currently outdated.  Having accurate data will contribute to better understanding of how educational program coding may be contributing to the misalignment of graduate qualifications for open cybersecurity positions in the workforce.

Suggested questions to explore:  

• Can the educational program CIP codes be aligned to the NICE work roles?
• How many two- and four-year cyber education programs exist and do they have the correct, current CIP does?
• How can we determine how CAE (Cyber Defense (CD), Research (R)) and Operations (O)) and other cybersecurity programs at institutions are coded for CIP, SOC, IPEDs, OPM, etc. and if they are outdated?
• Is there a correlation between specific educational content/programs and program graduate success in realizing employment in specific work roles?”
• What are the number of graduates entering each work role per year?
• What is the relationship between these codes:CIP, SOC, IPEDS, OPM, etc.

Moderator:  Murray Kenyon, Vice President – Cybersecurity Partnership Executive Information Security Services, US Bank; Patrick Massey, Region 10 Regional Director, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Agency (CISA)

Challenge statement:  Much has been written regarding the cybersecurity workforce pipeline and its inadequacy in responding to marketplace demands, as well as industry’s hiring procedures and requirements related to entry- and mid-level cybersecurity/IT jobs.  Outdated, invalid or inaccurate hiring requirements may bypass candidates for cybersecurity jobs who would be otherwise qualified, further contributing to the widening cybersecurity workforce gap.

Suggested questions to explore:  

• Do Human Resource personnel use different hiring procedures related to entry level and mid-level cybersecurity/IT jobs than in other tech jobs? What drives this? Are these requirements hurting hiring opportunities of qualified individuals?
• What innovative hiring approaches are working to fill the cybersecurity workforce gap at companies?
• Is a Bachelor’s Degree requirement increasingly not needed for some/many cybersecurity positions? What are surrogates to indicate preparation and competence?
• How are workplace teams or other approaches contributing to supporting entry level skill development in corporations?
• Is there a need for a bootcamp like experience for new graduates in order to be better prepared for the workplace?

Moderator:  Lynn Dohm, Executive Director, Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS); Reginald Marshall, Adjunct Faculty, Whatcom Community College/Univ. of Washington

Challenge statement:  Diversification of students in the cybersecurity education pipeline has been touted as a solution to addressing the workforce shortage, however many issues plague success and sustainability of cybersecurity program diversification initiatives in higher education and long term outcomes are unknown. 

Suggested questions to explore:  

• What diversification initiatives for cyber or other similar fields in higher education are working and why?
• What are new ideas for expanding diversification of the student pipeline and how can they be sustained?
• What initiatives are successfully retaining diverse employees in industry tech fields and why?
• How can we measure long term success once students from diverse backgrounds are employed in cyber positions?

Moderator:  Jo Ann Baria, Vice President for Workforce, Economic & Professional Development, Pierce Community College

Challenge statement:  A career pathway describes an educational ecosystem consisting of multiple elements of an effective and efficient course of study intending to lead to a specific career field. Pathway elements typically include secondary and postsecondary school courses and workforce learning programs, such as internships and apprenticeships. Well-designed career pathways enable students to gain an early start toward a targeted career, earn professional credentials while still in high school, and shorten the time required to complete academic studies and enter the workforce. Career pathways have been shown to greatly increase career awareness and interest, as well as workforce capacity for high-demand fields. The challenge faced by the cybersecurity academic community is the absence of a formal career cluster framework for the cybersecurity field.

Suggested questions to explore:  

• Is there a need for a career cluster focused on cybersecurity and can it be developed?
• Are there successful defined pathways from high school to higher education and what are the requirements? Are there requirements or practices that are limiting success?
• How can we more effectively educate school counselors about cybersecurity education and career pathways?
• Is there a need for multiple nationally recognized pathways?

Moderator: Kathi Hiyane-Brown, President, Whatcom Community College

Opening remarks: Camille Stewart Gloster, Deputy Director, Office of the National Cyber Director

Challenge statement:  College presidents, government workforce stakeholders, and corporate leaders can strongly influence their organization’s culture, direction and contribution to economic development and the national cybersecurity workforce shortage.  This focus group will explore successful innovations and new ideas, and how they can position their organization to help address the growing workforce gap.

Suggested questions to explore:  

• What role can corporate/workforce/higher education administrators play in solving for the cybersecurity workforce gap?
• How can we help to address the cybersecurity educator shortage?
• How do community colleges fit into the national workforce strategy?
• What are the key barriers community colleges face to offering/expanding cybersecurity programs?
• How can we collectively enhance the community college “brand” relative to the quality of graduates from community colleges?
• How can we improve pathways coordination between high schools, colleges, universities and the private sector?
• Beyond 2026, what new goals and challenges can you envision for higher education institutions offering cybersecurity education?
• By 2026, what will the status of cybersecurity education and the workforce be?
• What role can the US Government play in helping to address the workforce shortage?

Panelists shared unique perspectives for engaging tribal community members in the field of cybersecurity.

Moderator: Kara Four Bear, Superintendent, Eagle Butte School District

Panelists:

• Donna Brown, President/Chancellor, Turtle Mountain Community College
• Zach Oxendine, Service Engineer, Microsoft
• Justin Guillory, President, Northwest Indian College
• Kelton Starr, Education Director, Mescalero Apache Tribe

Panel questions:

• What are the key issues that tribes face that prohibit pursuit or access to fields such as cybersecurity
• What would have to happen to engage more Native Americans to engage in this field

Graduates from community colleges with two- and four-year degrees often struggle to convince prospective employers that their equivalent skills, knowledge and abilities meet job posting requirements.  Listen to personal experiences of cybersecurity graduates seeking employment and their suggestions for streamlining alignment of job requirements to candidates.

Moderator: Zach Oxendine, Service Engineer, Microsoft

Panelists: 

• Alambey Byrd, WCC BAS student and technical support
• Laurie Grey, WCC graduate, Cybersecurity Analyst, Anvil Corporation
• Judd Morse, WCC graduate, Network Security Engineer, Lawrence Livermore National Labs

Panel questions:

• Please introduce your selves and tell us about your current or most recent employment in cybersecurity.
• What practical lab work or assignments have you done that you feel best prepared you for employment?
• Where in your learning have you found the most opportunity for employment? (e.g. networking, analysis, industry control systems, etc.)
• What kind of barriers did you face in finding employment?