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National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education |
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Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month! My name is Caron Carlson, and I recently joined NICE as a full-fledged member after working with the team for 2 ½ years as an associate. As we round out the busy month of October, I hope you had a chance to celebrate Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week, cheer on the new US Cyber Games draftees, and discover new ways that the many components of this ecosystem fortify and enhance each other. As I integrate more fully into the program, my main focus will be on the NICE Framework. There are numerous updates and revisions in the works – including re-factored knowledge, skill, and ability statements; improved task statements; and competency areas – and we always want to hear from you about your experiences with the Framework.
Our feature article this quarter makes the case for employers to embrace competencies-based learning when assessing candidates and making hiring decisions. Focusing on a student’s or job candidate’s competencies and skills – rather than degrees, for example – is not only more objective and equitable but also more efficient in determining successful career pathways. The Academic Spotlight describes a new partnership between the Defense Information Systems Agency and Capital Technology University to build a career pathway that provides opportunities for developing the necessary skills and competencies. Our Industry Spotlight highlights the critical need for software developers to focus on security earlier in the development process—known as “shifting left.” Finally, the Government Spotlight examines the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and its implications for workforce development.
Enjoy these timely insights from around the community, and don’t forget to register for the NICE K12 Education Conference in St. Louis, MO, December 5-6. I hope to see you there!
Caron Carlson
Research Analyst, NICE
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Why Employers Should Embrace Competency-Based Learning in Cybersecurity
There is a growing movement toward increasing the use of competency and skills-based education and hiring practices in both the public and private sectors.
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A profile of a cybersecurity practitioner to illustrate application of the NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity Categories and Work Roles.
Connie Bragg
This issue’s interview is with Connie Bragg, Professional -Cybersecurity at AT&T. Ms. Bragg shares about how advocating for yourself can help when shifting careers into cybersecurity, how important networking and mentoring can be, and how the NICE Framework can help.
Categories: Securely Provision, Operate & Maintain, Oversee & Govern
Work Roles: Cyber Workforce Developer and Manager, Security Architect, Security Control Assessor
Academic Degree: BA, Women’s Studies; MPA Public Administration
Certifications: Cybersecurity, Azure Fundamentals
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By William H. Butler DSc, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Capitol Technology University
The need for cybersecurity workers is well established, but this requirement is not only for industry; the government has an equally pressing gap between openings and qualified workers. Many agencies have missions to protect critical infrastructure, and they must collaborate with industry to create academic pipelines while also competing to attract graduates as they enter the job market.
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By David A. Wheeler, Director of Open Source Supply Chain Security, The Linux Foundation
Cybersecurity is vitally important. However, the 2020 subversion of SolarWinds’ Orion showed that addressing cybersecurity primarily in operations is too little and too late.
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By Aubrie Kendall, Summer Graduate Fellow, National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education
The overall message and intent of the CHIPS & Science Act of 2022 (or CHIPS Act) is to focus on increasing the strength of American supply chains, manufacturing, national security, and the workforce to support those three aspects [1]. This article will focus on the themes related to cybersecurity workforce development within the CHIPS Act.
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Affiliated Programs
On August 2, 2022 the NICE Program Office submitted the report "Measuring Cybersecurity Workforce Capabilities: Defining a Proficiency Scale for the NICE Framework" to Congress.
Funded Projects
On October 17, 2022, the US Cyber Team Draft Day was held in Washington, DC. The program announced the 30 athletes who will join the Season II US Cyber Team. The event also featured exhibits to provide information about careers in cybersecurity and showcase cybersecurity games.
NICE Community Coordinating Council
In support of Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week (October 17-22, 2022), several groups in the Community held special events to help raise awareness about cybersecurity careers.
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