ATARC Federal IT Newscast Solving For X, Episode 11: The 715,000+ Job Vacancy Question: Why One Cybersecurity Workforce Strategist Believes It's Time for "All Hands on Deck"
In this week's episode, Nina and Chris sit down with Dr. Keith Clement, Professor at Fresno State University and chair of the Workforce Development/Education Subcommittee of the California Cybersecurity Task Force (co-led by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and California Department of Technology). As author of The California Cybersecurity Workforce Development and Education Strategy (2020-2030): Framework and Recommendations for a California Cybersecurity Career Education Pipeline and Pathway Project (C3EP3) Report, Keith brings a wealth of research and insight regarding the state of cybersecurity workforce development and education. We discuss some of the greatest challenges facing cybersecurity workforce development, preparation, talent acquisition, and the value of employee retention strategies. These are important questions relating to national and economic security concerns of closing our ever growing cybersecurity workforce capability and job gap. Important note: since podcast episode taping, the national cybersecurity workforce gap has swelled from 715,000+ available cyber jobs 9.3% to 769,000+ total available current cyber positions (CyberSeek, 2022). This is further evidence of the value of enhancing and supporting national and state IT-Cybersecurity workforce development, talent acquisition, and retention through the careful analysis and introspection of current best practices, policies, and procedures.
Link to Report:
Episode Highlights:
* The future of digital transformation in IT and specializations like cybersecurity, quantum, artificial intelligence, and machine learning is an operational career pipeline and pathway that prepares cybersecurity professionals for entry-, mid-, and advanced level work roles across all levels of education and training.
* The value of aligning and linking cybersecurity education/training with industry recognized professional certifications and work experience opportunities like apprenticeship programs.
* Workforce transformation and readiness and how to make connections. How do we get people to learn on the job and be ready for cybersecurity work through on the job training?
* Zero Trust architecture and framework associated with cybersecurity workforce.
* What is keeping us from filing cybersecurity jobs-- both technical and non-technical positions?
* Confronting the problem of retention, advancement, and promotion into mid-level and advanced- level cybersecurity work roles.
* What can employers and leadership do to support over-worked cybersecurity teams and personnel?
* The Cybersecurity Collaboration-Coordination problem and enhancing partnerships with federal, state, local government, and academia as the solution.
* The biggest failure in cybersecurity workforce may be in the transition process from education/training into the profession without structured work experience opportunities to secure jobs.
* What makes cybersecurity workforce preparation such a difficult learning curve?
Nina Bianchi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bianchininafuture/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NinaFuture
Christopher Crist: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-crist-a1544a135/