Cybersecurity Talent Shortage Prompts White House Action

With more than half a million cybersecurity jobs unfilled nationwide in the US, private enterprise and the federal government alike are focusing efforts to help fill the gap by changing hiring strategies and encouraging careers in IT security.

Recently, the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), in collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), announced the "Service for America" initiative, which is part of the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy (NCWES).

The main directive is to recruit and prepare Americans for jobs in cybersecurity, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative focuses on creating accessible career pathways by removing degree requirements, and emphasizing skills-based hiring.

To that end, the program promotes work-based learning, such as registered apprenticeships, which allow individuals to earn while they gain new skills. And on the AI front, while it is seen as having the potential to fill some of the perceived workforce gaps, human cybersecurity does not appear to be a role that is going away any time soon — for most AI and related tools, a human element is still vital to decision making.

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