7 Ways Education is Recruiting Cyber Talent

EDSCOOP article discusses how higher education institutions and businesses are targeting students for cybersecurity careers by offering hands-on experience at high-tech cyber ranges, designing mascots to teach K-12 students about cracking ciphers, and more.

"The debate on how to fill nearly half a million cybersecurity jobs in August made its way to a White House summit where colleges, universities, and companies promised to bolster the workforce. Higher education institutions are offering traditional cybersecurity programs with degrees and credentials, but they’re also giving students hands-on experience, protecting networks against threats, and connecting students with their future employers. Many are also raising awareness of careers in cybersecurity as early as elementary school," the article states.

The article then lists 7 ways education is recruiting cyber talent including #4 Building a National Team. The U.S. Cyber Games, launched this year, recruits cybersecurity talent from ages 16-24 for a team that competes on the international stage. To pick players for the first U.S. Cyber team, the organization held a series of cybersecurity competitions called the U.S. Cyber Open. About 700 “cyber athletes” participated in the games, with one group invited back to participate in training dubbed the “U.S. Cyber Combine.” The team is run through a partnership between the esports management company PlayCyber and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education. Team members selected for the team are scheduled to compete in Athens, Greece, in June of 2022.

Colleges and universities can bolster players’ skills by offering cybersecurity clubs at a school level — a player selected for the national team from the University of North Georgia said participation in the school’s Cyber Club prepared him to compete.