Cybersecurity apprenticeships (“earn while you learn”) models represent a promising approach to attract, train, and retain a highly-skilled cybersecurity workforce.
Finding skilled cybersecurity talent is a well-known issue for employers in every sector. A method for increasing the supply of people with the desired combination of hands-on skills and academic knowledge is to build apprenticeship programs where participants can “earn while they learn.”
Apprenticeships may be an important mechanism for building a steady pipeline of job-ready talent and providing entry points for those switching careers, without advanced degrees, or re-entering the field.
The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) strategic plan includes “Experiment with the use of apprenticeships and cooperative education programs to provide an immediate workforce that can earn a salary while they learn the necessary skills.”
