Cybersecurity talent gaps continue to exist across the United States, yet private sector leaders and the federal government have not been able to make the meaningful investments necessary to fill the more than half a million current vacancies nationwide, including more than 33,000 vacancies in the public sector workforce alone. Cybersecurity clinics offer a high-potential path to sharply increase the number of experienced cybersecurity professionals coming out of U.S. universities at minimal cost and with low barriers to expansion. Located in a region with an insatiable appetite for cybersecurity talent and an impressive array of educational institutions, the greater Washington, D.C. area would be the perfect place to pilot a regional program.
This issue of cyber workforce shortfalls and its impact on national security was a key focus of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission's (CSC) final report released earlier this year. The commission was established in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to develop a consensus on a new strategic approach for defending the United States in cyberspace. More specifically, the commission comprehensively reviewed existing policies and proposed 82 remedies, all of which, the commission argued, are dependent on the underlying foundation of recruiting, developing, and retaining a robust cyber workforce. The commission recommended a number of proposals to improve federal support for private sector, state and local efforts to improve cyber education as well as workforce development to fill the gap of cybersecurity talent within the federal workforce. These included diversifying the pool of candidates for cyber work; commiting to recruiting beyond conventional pathways into the government; expanding the existin ..
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