Welcome to the 2017 spring edition of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) eNewsletter. As we continue into another year with a spotlight on cybersecurity, we strive to provide insightful developments within the areas of academia, industry, and government. This edition’s featured article highlights the importance of hiring the right person for the job not only for their knowledge, but also for their ability to learn. Augmentation of knowledge tests with aptitude tests are talked about as well. With a continued focus on building career pathways, the Spotlight on Academia provides potential solutions to addressing the disparity between some 2-year and 4-year degree programs. For example, how can we have a better course alignment for a student to transfer from a 2-year program to a 4-year program? The Spotlight on Industry provides a seven-part formula to attract, hire, and retain talent. The Spotlight on Government illuminates the Federal Information Systems Security Association’s (FISSEA) effort to build effective security programs for cybersecurity awareness, training, and education. Using the expression, “two heads are better than one”, I am excited to see what this year brings through collaborations such as those in our NICE Working Group and subgroups. In the words of Albert Einstein, “we cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Therefore, let’s continue stimulating innovation and driving change through such developments and insights put forth by the authors in this eNewsletter. 

Building Capacity within the NSF Scholarship for Service Program

by Dr. Barbara Huffman de Belón, National CyberWatch Center; Dr. Costis Toregas, George Washington University

The SFS program is designed to increase and strengthen the cadre of federal information assurance professionals that protect the government's critical information infrastructure. Today, sixty-nine colleges and universities from 30 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia participate in the SFS program. As with other scholarship for service programs, recipients receive financial support for two or more years of their college education, in exchange for agreeing to work for the federal, state, local, or tribal government for a period of time equal to the number of semesters that were supported. Read More

The Best Ways to Attract, Hire and Retain Talent 

by Deidre Diamond, CyberSN.com and brainbabe.org, Founder and CEO

The unemployment rate for cybersecurity professionals—the people protecting us from cyber-attacks—is zero (some studies say it could be even higher), but most of these professionals (59%) are less than satisfied with their current jobs, leaving them receptive to the frequent calls they get from recruiters. This recruiting and retention challenge is a very serious national security issue. It’s no wonder a commonly heard question is: “What are the ‘best ways’ to attract, hire and retain talent?” Read More 

Cybersecurity Awareness and Training of Federal Employees: 30 Years of FISSEA

by Gretchen Morris, DB Consulting Group, Inc.

FISSEA is an organization founded in 1987 bringing together information systems security professionals from the federal government to share best practices, collaborate on new ideas, and network. Every organization, agency, and/or department aims to grow and develop their security programs. FISSEA members come together collectively to help find solutions to address current concerns in cybersecurity, keep our learners engaged, and guide the direction of effective security training programs.  Read More