[Left to right] Ayan Islam, Director, Cyber Workforce, Dr. Eman El-Sheikh, Francine Coller and Harry Coker Jr., National Cyber Director.
Newswise — On July 31, the University of West Florida participated in the Good-Paying Cyber Jobs for Veterans and Military Spouses Workshop hosted by the Biden-Harris Administration to continue the conversation on National Cybersecurity Workforce Development.
The White House Office of the National Cyber Director, along with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, convened industry, government and higher education leaders and issued a readout following the event. Workshop attendees shared best practices, challenges and resources to support veterans and military spouses in cybersecurity careers. Dr. Eman El-Sheikh, associate vice president for the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, and Francine Coller, program coordinator, highlighted CyberSkills2Work, an innovative, scalable program aimed at significantly increasing the pool of qualified cybersecurity professionals.
“We were honored to participate in the White House Office of the National Cyber Director workshop and share our best practices and success stories to help veterans and military spouses launch or advance rewarding cybersecurity careers,” El-Sheikh said. “We look forward to working with our government and industry partners to expand CyberSkills2Work and strengthen our National cybersecurity workforce.”
CyberSkills2Work is led by the UWF Center for Cybersecurity and supported by the NSA’s National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Program and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA. Through collaboration with 11 NCAE-C institutions and a curriculum grounded in skills-based training, industry certifications, and professional development, the program equips individuals with competencies and credentials for diverse cybersecurity work roles.
Since launching in 2020, CyberSkills2Work continues to expand, offering free training for over 16 NICE cyber work roles and 17 industry certifications through 28 flexible training pathways. The program provides free training and professional development to over 3,300 veterans, first responders, transitioning military personnel, military spouses, underrepresented minorities, women, and federal, state, and local government personnel. All curriculum, including over 200 learning objects, are shared through the CLARK repository.
The event brought together public and private sector organizations that are leading efforts to strengthen the national cybersecurity workforce, including career preparation and placement for veterans and military spouses. CyberSkills2Work was highlighted as an exemplar for veteran training and public-private partnerships in the first-ever National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy, which seeks to transform cyber education. Earlier this year, UWF committed to adding 1,550 cybersecurity professionals to the nation’s cyber workforce over the next two years via the CyberSkills2Work Program. UWF welcomes all employers and partners interested in supporting the program.
For more information about the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, visit uwf.edu/cyber.
For more information about the CyberSkills2Work program, visit cyberskills2work.org.
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