share best practices in skills-based workforce development. As an example of a constructive
approach, NICE is supporting the Business Roundtable’s Cybersecurity Workforce Initiative, which
involves collaborative efforts to strengthen talent pipelines and skills-based career pathways.86
Lines of Effort
3.2.1 Leverage community colleges to enhance cyber workforce diversity and better meet
local workforce needs.
Industry is encouraged to enhance partnerships with community and technical colleges to support
cyber education opportunities with resources to align with industry-specific technologies and work
roles.
ONCD and the NCWCG will promote the benefits of community and technical colleges as a robust
source for cyber talent ranging from entry-level workers to reskilled and upskilled cyber
professionals.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), working with other departments and agencies as
appropriate, will explore opportunities to better align scholarship-for-service programs to learners in
community college programs.
3.2.2 Build and enhance industry partnerships in cyber education and workforce
development ecosystems to enhance diversity and improve programs.
Employers across industry sectors are encouraged to increase their participation in the development
of cyber education and training programs in formal and informal learning environments.
Investments by Microsoft,87 Mastercard,88 AT&T,89 IBM,90 and JPMorgan Chase91 are examples of
such industry commitments.
Industry and community and technical colleges are encouraged to partner to support the creation of
cyber education and training content.
ONCD and the NCWCG will highlight best practices and encourage departments and agencies to
collaborate with industry and increase the reach of cyber workforce development programs
supported by federal funds.
3.2.3
Expand the use of skills-based hiring practices.
Employers are encouraged to increase the adoption of skills-based recruitment and talent
development processes by evaluating their position descriptions and hiring approaches to better
focus on needed cyber skills. Employer associations, labor organizations, and trade associations are
encouraged to use common terminology, such as that included in the NICE Framework, when
referencing skills requirements in position descriptions and job postings.
NATIONAL CYBER WORKFORCE
AND
EDUCATION STRATEGY
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