The Hill Opinion: Advancing US investment in K-12 cybersecurity education is a matter of national security
As our nation faces rising threats from increasingly sophisticated cyber adversaries, there has never been a more urgent need to fill the cybersecurity talent pipeline. Last year, cybercrime cost the U.S. $6.9 billion and experts predict global cybercrime costs to grow to $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Cyber attacks from malicious actors are a serious threat to both our economic stability and national security, as we have seen through the increase of cyber intrusions against critical infrastructure sectors in recent years. At the same time, there is a significant workforce gap which leaves the United States in an even more vulnerable position.
Currently, there are more than 700,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the United States. To date, we have failed to adequately invest in educational and workforce development to address the growing cyber threat, but there is a solution. We can ensure that the next generation of Americans is better equipped to take on the evolving threat landscape...
...I am calling on my colleagues in Congress to join me in this effort. One step we must take is supporting K-12 cybersecurity education programs in the federal government that serve to address our nation’s cybersecurity talent gap. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, for example, Congress dedicated $6.8 million for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP) to enhance cybersecurity education, training, and more. Through this program, DHS’s Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA) provides comprehensive K-12 cyber education training tools and resources for both teachers and students. Congress should continue funding this program so it can expand and achieve its goal of reaching every K-12 student across the country. In fact, I’ve introduced a bill to do just that, the Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022, and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to follow suit.