The Partnership for Public Service and Booze Allen’s report “Cyber In-Security II: Closing the Federal Talent Gap,” includes many recommendations to bolster the federal cybersecurity workforce, including an expansion of internship and scholarships in federal agencies.
For example, the report noted that using Pathways internships allows agencies to convert talent into full-time positions upon completion, avoiding the lengthy competitive hiring process while securing talent that’s already up to speed at the agency and who knows the drill, so to speak.
“Congress should increase the funding to expand successful programs like the NSF’s Scholarship for Service and DoD’s Information Assurance Scholarship that provide graduate and undergraduate scholarships in the cybersecurity field to help meet the government’s need for entry-level talent,” the report argues.
It also recommends creating a cyber reserve corps for college students, a civilian Cyber Reserve Training Corps similar to the military’s ROTC and that offers tuition assistance and a security clearance fast track.
Other recommendations are additional hiring authorities such as direct-hire, a new cybersecurity training academy focusing on both technical and leadership skills, and conducting a comprehensive pay study to more accurately compare pay and benefits with comparable private sector jobs.
