In an effort to train up the U.S. workforce and close the cyber skills gap, a bipartisan group of lawmakers Thursday unveiled the Cyber Ready Workforce Act.
Under the terms of the bill, if passed, the Labor Department would issue grants to competing organizations that develop or expand cybersecurity apprenticeship initiatives.
“The demand for talent in cybersecurity is sky-high, and we’re putting ourselves at risk if we don’t address this shortage in our workforce,” Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., who introduced the bill in the House, said in a statement, pledging to ensure “businesses and government have the skilled people and critical tools they need to enhance our nation's cybersecurity infrastructure, help industry thrive,” as well as bolster national security.
“We applaud the efforts of Congresswoman Rosen, Congressman Donovan, Congressman Moulton, and Congresswoman Stefanik on this critical issue,” said CompTIA Executive Vice President for Public Advocacy Elizabeth Hyman. “Through innovative public-private partnerships, under the direction of the U.S. Department of Labor, the information technology industry will have greater access to registered apprenticeship programs and be better able to train the cybersecurity professionals our nation needs.”
