Cybersecurity Programs Increase across Higher Ed

A look at the week of September 6 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, IT policy news focused on two topics: cybersecurity training and employment and the role of cloud computing in cutting government IT costs.  Nextgov.com reports that the GAO is concerned about whether the supply of U.S. cyber workers will meet the government’s demand, while USA Today reports that cyber programs are springing up in institutions of higher education across the country to address this gap.

GAO Reviews Americans' Interest-Level In Cyber Jobs — The Government Accountability Office is conducting a federal audit to assess the draw, or lack thereof, of cybersecurity careers.  According to Nextgov.com, government and industry officials, as well as employment postings and university degree programs, routinely estimate that the country needs about 30,000 information security professionals, but GAO officials said they do not yet know if there is enough interest among the U.S. population to fill the ranks.

Cybersecurity Programs Increase across Higher Ed —Training a new generation of highly skilled cybersecurity professionals is higher education’s newest goal.  Amid the threat of cyberwarfare, the Department of Homeland Security has doubled its cybersecurity workforce in the last two years, and in May the Pentagon’s declared that cyber attacks will be considered acts of war. Both developments have contributed to an increased focus on cybersecurity among colleges and students, says USA Today.

Governments Cut Computing Costs in the Cloud — With no end in sight to shrinking budgets, state and local governments are shoring up aging tech systems and relying more on delivering crucial public services over the Internet cloud.  Taking their cues from the private sector and the federal government, states, counties and cities are paying closer attention to sales pitches for technology that streamlines aging systems and relies more on cloud services, says USA Today.