Every year in October, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) dedicates the month to Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

During this time, they provide vital cybersecurity tips and resources to educate the public, businesses, and organizations of all levels.

The National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) launched a career program called “See Yourself In Cyber” in 2023, which is aimed at changing the perception around cybersecurity careers.

Their goal is to show students that there are multiple pathways to a successful career in cybersecurity, and it is a field for everyone.

The program’s first year successfully connected over 1,000 students with recruiters and professionals at on-campus events across nine schools. Additionally, 142 students were paired with cybersecurity mentors.

This fall, the NCA will hold events at five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which will feature public and private sector employers, guest speakers, recruiters, and local law enforcement departments to showcase the various career paths offered in cybersecurity and opportunities available in their communities.

In collaboration with the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, Google.org has committed over $20 million to help thousands of students gain hands-on experience in cybersecurity.

This funding will support the creation and expansion of cybersecurity clinics at 20 higher education institutions across America.

Google.org is also committed to providing expert volunteers as student mentors to cyber clinics nationwide in collaboration with the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics and select universities. The cyber clinics will receive access to the Google Cybersecurity Certificate, Google Titan security keys, and student mentorship opportunities from Google at no cost.

ITSMF aims to increase the cybersecurity workforce pipeline by 10% by 2026 and raise the number of Black chief information security officers (CISOs) by the same percentage.

The Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) is committed to increasing the representation of talented Black professionals in cyber and risk management at senior levels, resulting in industry innovation, growth, and thought leadership.

Microsoft and Black Tech Street have announced a historic long-term alliance for Historic Greenwood, the neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as “Black Wall Street.”

The alliance, dubbed “The Digital Transformation of Black Wall Street to Black Tech Street,” aims to restore Greenwood’s position as a national hub for Black talent and innovation with an initial focus on Cyber.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) promotes diversity in the cyber workforce, exposes young people to careers in cybersecurity, and bridges the current cyber gap with women in cybersecurity and tech.

CISA partners with organizations like Girl Scouts of the USA, Girls Who Code and Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) to achieve these goals.

In July 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration unveiled the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy (NCWES) to address the critical need for filling vacant cyber jobs.

The national security imperative aims to empower every American to participate in the digital ecosystem and create a culture of cyber readiness.

In August 2023, the Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI) and the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI) launched the Phased Critical Infrastructure Pilot: Resiliency for Water Utilities.

The initiative aims to provide basic cybersecurity training to up to 200 small water utilities and promote a culture of cyber readiness. Microsoft is sponsoring the initiative to help secure the nation’s water infrastructure from cyber threats.

The pilot is based on the CRI’s Cyber Readiness Program, designed to assist small- and medium-sized businesses in improving their cybersecurity risk management and ability to respond and recover from cybersecurity incidents. CRI and CCTI will also use the initiative to create a better understanding of the level of cyber readiness across water utilities.

The NCWES aims to complement existing efforts to support working families, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. It focuses on empowering Americans to pursue careers in cybersecurity and envisions a skills-based digital future where workers can access cyber jobs within their communities.

The strategy also aims to enable educators to continuously upskill the public and employers to diversify their workforce. The NCWES was developed with non-governmental stakeholder groups, including private industry, academia, nonprofits, and government partners, and it seeks to build and enhance collaboration around four pillars:

1. Equip Every American with Foundational Cyber Skills – enable everyone to enjoy the full benefits of our interconnected society.
2. Transform Cyber Education – address the immediate demand for a skilled cyber workforce while preparing learners to meet the future needs of a dynamic technological environment.
3. Expand and Enhance the National Cyber Workforce – collaborate with various stakeholders, adopt a skills-based approach to recruitment and development, and increase access to cyber jobs for all Americans, including underserved and underrepresented groups.
4. Strengthen the Federal Cyber Workforce – communicate the benefits of careers in public service amongst both job seekers and current employees and lower the barriers associated with hiring and onboarding.