Left behind in the race to hire the best young tech talent is the federal government and its various agencies. A review of the federal workforce data reveals that just 4% of federal cybersecurity employees were under 30 years of age while a full 14% were over 60.
Recognizing that government employment might not be the most inviting career path for young techies, several US agencies such as the CIA and the Department Of Defense are stepping up recruitment efforts.
Sara Friedman filed this report published in Defense Systems:
A new public-private partnership aims to help fill the talent pipeline. The Cybersecurity Talent Initiative — a partnership between federal agencies, the Partnership for Public Service and industry partners Mastercard, Microsoft and WorkDay plans to help jumpstart careers and develop the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.
Students graduating with a cybersecurity-related university degree can apply to work at a federal agency where they will enhance their skills by learning from cybersecurity experts and attending training and networking events. After two years, they will be eligible for full-time positions with the program’s private-sector partners and, once hired, will be eligible to receive up to $75,000 in student loan assistance.
Founding agencies include the CIA, Departments of Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, FBI, Federal Election Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Naval Intelligence and the Small Business Administration.“It is critical for our government to attract and hire highly skilled workers capable of securing federal computer networks and building defenses against the thousands of cyberattacks that occur every year,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “The federal government has fallen more and more behind in the race for cyber talent, and this program will help get it back on track.”
