Communications of the ACM
Gao Reviews Americans' Interest-Level in Cyber Jobs
Credit: Active Garage
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) will soon release a report on the cybersecurity staffing challenges confronting government agencies. The human capital study will help federal auditors better understand the draw, or lack thereof, of cybersecurity careers.
The U.S. needs an estimated 30,000 information security professionals, but there may not be enough interest among the population to meet the demand. "We know that a lot of people in the area are concerned that there aren't enough [people] between industry and all of the civilian agencies," says GAO's Davi D'Agostino.
Federal departments and companies have long raised the issue of the need for more graduates with math and science degrees to fill computer and software engineering positions, notes GAO analyst Nelsie Alcoser. Public-private consortiums such as the U.S. Cyber Challenge are helping to address the issue. "When we talked to, for example, the National Security Agency, they said you need people with the right degrees and then they will give them an intense training on their methods and tactics," Alcoser says.
From NextGov.com
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