Latest data from CyberSeek (www.cyberseek.org) finds the demand for cybersecurity talent is continuing to outpace the number of trained workers available for the positions. This is despite the growing availability of education and training programs.
Cyberseek estimates workers are available for just 85% of the cybersecurity jobs nationwide. It says there are more than 1.2 million people employed in cybersecurity, but more than 225,000 are still needed to close the gap.
This month, the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center is sponsoring a series of camps to get students on the path to cybersecurity and other STEM workforces. More than 130 students between 10 and 17 years old, from 13 counties in Georgia and South Carolina are attending the “CyberPatriot Camp.
The first sessions, Standard CyberPatriot Camp, are June 3 through 7 and will focus on the basics. The Alliance for Fort Eisenhower is hosting the camps.
“The first day is cyber ethics and cyber basics,” explained Dr. Tom Clark, Executive Director of the Alliance. “Then, they will learn to build a network and defend a network at the very basic level. On day five of the competition, they will be entered, via the Internet, and compete with the rest of the nation. So, they are in the competition sitting here. But they are competing across the world.”
Clark said the local camps are the largest being held in the U.S. this month.
The second camp, the Advanced CyperPatriot camps, will be June 24 through 28. The sessions can be tailored to offer a curriculum based on the interests and needs of the students.
The importance of getting students involved in computer sciences such as cybersecurity and other disciplines is part of the mission of the website www.code.org.
According to its website, “Code.org® is an education innovation nonprofit dedicated to the vision that every student in every school has the opportunity to learn computer science as part of their core K-12 education. We expand access to computer science in schools, with a focus on increasing participation by young women and students from other underrepresented groups.”
Photos used by permission of www.code.org
Calling computer science “foundational,” the organization recommends every child in the 21st century should have the opportunity to learn about computer functions, including algorithms and how to build an app.
The organization has extensive research and data showing the impact engaging students will have on creating a cyber-focused workforce for today and the future. It includes the financial impact students who pursue such a career can anticipate.
The research includes data from the students themselves on what classes interest them in school with arts and computer sciences topping the list.
The organization said it has more than 50 million students and 1 million teachers engaged on its platform.
The needs of the industry are also a focus of the 15th Annual NICE Conference and Expo, underway in Dallas, Texas. NICE is led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
During the conference, Rodney Petersen, Director of NICE, laid out solutions to address the demand for cybersecurity workers in the U.S.
“As competition for talent grows across sectors and from other in-demand occupations, we must develop alternative pathways to careers in cybersecurity that develop diverse talent in communities across America to provide opportunities for good-paying jobs,” Petersen was quoted in a news release. “The regional alliances and multistakeholder partnerships known as RAMPS Communities, established through cooperative agreements from NIST, will strengthen coordination and collaboration to meet employer workforce needs and bolster local and regional economies.”
The theme of this year’s event is to find ways to bridge the cybersecurity workforce gap.
Clark told ABD the CyberPatriot camps can help close the gap by reaching students between 10 and 17 years old.
“There’s a nationwide shortage of cyber professionals,” he said. “The Alliance’s job is to promote, coordinate, and advocate on behalf of our region’s number one employer, Fort Eisenhower, and the Cyber Center of Excellence. So, we hope our K through 12 programs will pique an interest and that we are locally growing the workforce for not only Fort Eisenhower, but for ADP, for the hospitals, for Piedmont, for WellStar. For all those folks that need cyber professionals.”
Data from code.org’s findings are available online and include Georgia and South Carolina numbers at https://code.org/promote/ga and https://code.org/promote/sc.
Data is also available at https://www.cyberseek.org/heatmap which also provides information for specific metropolitan areas.
