House leader pushing for CISA to help oversee talent pipeline

TLDR:

• Rep. Mark Green is planning legislation to create a cyber talent pipeline overseen by CISA.
• The bill aims to incentivize skills-based cybersecurity education at community colleges and vocational schools.

The House Homeland Security Committee Chairman, Rep. Mark Green, is preparing to introduce a cyber workforce bill that would establish a talent pipeline overseen by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The legislation aims to create a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)-like program for the cyber workforce, focusing on skills-based training at community colleges and vocational schools. The goal is to fill open cyber positions across federal, state, and local government agencies.

The bill would leverage CISA as the federal cybersecurity agency to train, retain, and attract cyber professionals, promoting collective defense for federal civilian networks. This initiative is seen as necessary due to the significant cybersecurity workforce gap in the country, with nearly 470,000 open cybersecurity jobs nationwide, according to CyberSeek data. The legislation’s focus on skills-based training aligns with federal and private sector efforts to prioritize skills over traditional four-year degrees in cybersecurity education and hiring.

Green’s bill, which is his top priority this year, marks a bipartisan effort in Congress to address the cyber workforce shortage. It complements existing programs like the NSF’s Cybercorps Scholarship-for-Service and aims to enhance CISA’s role in coordinating cyber workforce development efforts across the country. While the exact details of CISA’s involvement are still being determined, experts believe the agency is well-positioned to oversee a national cyber talent pipeline and connect with state and local education systems and industry partners.

Despite a tight legislative window, with the presidential election looming, cybersecurity workforce legislation like Green’s bill could be attached to must-pass defense authorization or appropriations bills. This underscores the urgency of addressing the cybersecurity workforce shortage to protect critical infrastructure and national security interests.