Cyber Workforce

U.S. Cyber Command said the new Cyber Excepted Service has cut its time-to-hire by 60 percent. But so far, DoD has only used the new personnel system for a few hundred positions.

Three years after Congress gave DoD permission to set up a separate personnel system to attract cyber talent, officials say they’re on the verge of an “exponential” increase in usage of the Cyber Excepted Service.

As the cyber industry expands, there’s an influx of unique job titles: cybersecurity analyst, cybersecurity manager, even cyber warrior. But, working in the field of cybersecurity doesn’t always mean holding a position with a trendy tech name.

Kathy Hutson, NSA’s senior strategist for academic engagement, said a 20-year partnership with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County helps keep current employees growing, while bringing in new ones.

Arlette Hart, senior cybersecurity technologist at Leidos, joined Federal News Network to discuss the state of cybersecurity today and the need to recruit and retain top talent.

Only 20 percent of the Army’s cyber teams are made up of civilians. The Army is analyzing whether that’s the right ratio in an environment where every uniformed servicemember is expected to be able to deploy to combat.

After a lackluster first year in its Cyber Direct Commissioning program, the Army is hoping a combination of higher pay and better marketing will let it attract more candidates from industry, academia.

The Trump administration plans to tackle the federal shortage of cybersecurity professionals include a new cybersecurity hiring system, a cybersecurity reservist program, and a plan to reskill current federal employees while improving the pipeline for new cyber talent.

Cyberspace has been defined as a ‘fifth domain’ of warfare alongside sea, air, land, and space. Like our physical reality, cyberspace is coupled with survival pitfalls and we’re learning how to better identify, manage, mitigate, and respond to them as our knowledge and experience evolves.

The House’s version of the annual Defense policy bill would let the military onboard new officers with outside cyber expertise up to the rank of Army colonel or Navy captain.