Legislation reintroduced in the House, and filed in the Senate, on March 31 would direct the Labor Department (DOL) to create a dedicated grant program to increase access to registered apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity.
The Cyber Ready Workforce Act aims to address the cybersecurity workforce gap in the United States, which lawmakers said totals more than 500,000 current job openings.
The bills are being sponsored in the House by Reps. Susie Lee, D-Nev., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and in the upper chamber by Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.
The two House lawmakers first filed the legislation in 2022, but the measure failed to progress beyond the committee level.
“The cybersecurity registered apprenticeship program would include industry-recognized certification in cybersecurity, encourage stackable and portable credentials, and increase access to jobs in cybersecurity,” the lawmakers’ offices said.
The new DOL program would award competitive grants to “businesses, industry and community-based organizations, workforce development boards, educational institutions, joint labor-management partnerships, and nonprofits to develop registered apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity,” their offices said.
“In addition to developing curriculum and technical instruction, grant funding could be used to provide support services to apprentices, including career counseling, mentorship, and assistance with transportation, housing, and childcare costs,” the offices said.
The text of the legislation does not specify any funding level for the proposed DOL grant program.
“Nevada alone is facing a shortage of nearly 4,000 cybersecurity professionals,” said Rep. Lee, who added, “This bill will help ensure that we don’t fall behind when it comes to cybersecurity, while putting Nevada at the forefront of the high-demand, high-impact, and high-paying jobs of the future.”
“The continued shortage of cybersecurity professionals has exposed our nation to severe vulnerabilities, threatening our economy and national security,” stated Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Now, more than ever, a strong cybersecurity workforce is necessary to protect our interests at home and abroad,” he said.
The bill comes the same week that the DOL launched a contract opportunity to embed artificial intelligence (AI) skills in registered apprenticeship programs to improve AI literacy and technical skills across sectors.