US Government Commits $3.6M to Construct Cybersecurity Workforce
In a move to safeguard businesses from potential cyber attacks, the US government has announced its commitment of approximately $3.6M in cooperative agreements to develop a cybersecurity workforce. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a division of the Department of Commerce, plans to allocate “roughly $200K” to 18 organizations focused on education and community development across 15 states. This initiative aims to address the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals in the country.
To oversee the cooperative agreement, NIST has partnered with NICE, a company that brings together the US government, academia, and the private sector to focus on cybersecurity education and workforce development. Laurie E. Locascio, Director of NIST, expressed optimism about the future of cybersecurity and the potential impact of the grants. She stated, “By investing in our cybersecurity workforce, we are not just filling a critical gap. We are creating a future where Americans have access to the training they need to secure high-quality, good-paying jobs.”
The chosen beneficiaries will collaborate to build Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) cybersecurity education. These RAMPS projects will align with the cybersecurity workforce framework needs of local businesses, firms, and nonprofit organizations. This approach not only addresses the workforce needs of local businesses but also contributes to the economic development of the respective regions.
The US government’s commitment reflects the findings of the CyberSeek tool, a platform funded by NICE that analyzes data about the cybersecurity workforce market. According to CyberSeek, there were 448,033 cybersecurity job opportunities in the US between January 2023 and January 2024. Despite significant layoffs in the tech industry, the cybersecurity sub-sector continues to grow. Job vacancies for cybersecurity professionals increased by 350% from 2013 to 2021, with approximately 3.5 million unfulfilled roles in 2023, including more than 700,000 in the US.
However, the prevalence of cyber risks is on the rise in the US. IBM reports that 83% of organizations experienced some form of cyber attack in 2022, with severe consequences. Companies have seen their stock prices decline by over 5% following data breaches, while others have faced disruptions in their entire supply chain due to cyber attacks. The Internet Crime Report revealed that US residents filed 880,418 cybercrime complaints in 2023. The eSentire 2023 Cybercrime report predicts that the cost of cybercrime damage will reach $10.5 trillion by 2025.
Given the escalating concern about cybercrime, regulators like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have begun to prioritize cybersecurity. In 2023, Chainalysis reported $1 billion in cryptocurrency ransomware payments. It is evident that cybersecurity is a pressing issue across various industries, both within and outside the US.
Amidst President Joe Biden’s AI policy, NIST is establishing the US Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (USAISI) in collaboration with the Department of Commerce. The USAISI will lead the nation’s efforts in AI safety and trust, including the evaluation of advanced AI models. To support this initiative, NIST has formed the AI Safety Institute Consortium, comprising over 200 organizations. The consortium’s objective is to develop science-based guidelines and standards for AI measurement and policy, ensuring the safety of advanced technology for all.
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