The private-public partnership is designed to fill the cybersecurity talent shortage facing all sectors, by giving participants a two-year cybersecurity position at a federal agency.
Eleven federal agencies launched the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative on Tuesday, a private-public partnership designed to improve the workforce channel to help fill the hundreds of thousands of cybersecurity employment vacancies around the country.
Currently, there are more than 313,000 cybersecurity job openings in the U.S., as calculated between September 2017 and August 2018, officials explained. What’s worse is that currently, just 4 percent of federal cybersecurity employees are under the age of 30.
The initiative is designed to reduce the talent gap and support students in transitioning into these crucial cybersecurity roles.
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According to officials, the program will allow either graduating or recently graduated individuals to apply for a two-year placement at a federal agency, focused on cybersecurity. At the program’s completion, the individual would be eligible for full-time employment at Microsoft, Mastercard, or Workday.
All eligible program participants could also receive student loan assistance up to $75,000.
Further, program participants will work alongside subject matter experts from both the private and public sectors to “build an interagency network of cybersecurity colleagues across government and attend leadership development sessions.”
The hope is that participants will gain a better understanding of the cybersecurity challenges facing the US infrastructure, as well as developing the skills needed to overcome the current threat landscape, officials explained.
Led by the Partnership for Public Service, the nonprofit is joined by the Central Intelligence Agency, Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, Energy, and Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency, FBI, the Federal Election Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Naval Intelligence, and the Small Business Administration.
“It’s critical for our government to attract and hire highly skilled workers capable of securing federal computer networks and building defenses against the thousands of cyberattacks that occur every year,” Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, said in a statement. “The federal government has fallen more and more behind in the race for cyber talent, and this program will help get it back on track.”
“The Cybersecurity Talent Initiative is an important way for the George Washington University and other top universities to help build a first-class cybersecurity workforce,” Thomas LeBlanc, GWU president, said in a statement. “This program offers a unique opportunity for our students to gain invaluable leadership skills and hands-on experience in the public and private sectors, while alleviating the burden of student loan debt.”
Interested individuals have until October 18 to apply for the program. Federal agencies will make offers by Spring 2020, with the program beginning in Fall 2020.
Date: April 17, 2019
Source: HealthIT Security
