How Can a Cybersecurity Student Become a Cybersecurity Professional and Succeed in a Cybersecurity Career?

How Can a Cybersecurity Student Become a Cybersecurity Professional and Succeed in a Cybersecurity Career?

Sandra Blanke, Paul Christian Nielsen, Brian Wrozek
Copyright: © 2022 |Pages: 19
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-3554-0.ch004
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Abstract

The need for cybersecurity professionals extends across government and private industries. Estimates place the shortage of cybersecurity professionals at 1.8 million by 2022. This chapter provides aspiring cybersecurity students a clear understanding of the various educational pathways they can choose to achieve their goals. The authors describe educational categories and include an assessment of each that students will want to consider based on their own situation. The authors discuss how the study of cybersecurity can be accomplished from a computer science, engineering, and business perspective. Students with STEM skills can accomplish their goals in numerous cybersecurity roles including cyber engineer, architect, and other technical roles. Finally, students with cyber business interest can accomplish their goals with a focus on strategy, compliance, awareness, and others. Organizations need employees with all these skills. This chapter concludes with the recommendation for continual learning, the value of networking, and the encouragement for students to start creating a cyber career.
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Background

Creation of the Study of Cybersecurity Education

In May 1988 the Presidential Decision Directive 63 (PDD 63), within the Clinton Administration, created the Policy on Critical Infrastructure Protection and the initial development of the Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance (IA) Education (CAE-IAE) Program. The CAE program was initially developed by the National Security Agency (NSA) in 1998 and in 2004 the Department of Homeland security joined as a partner. “The goal of the program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education in cyber defense and producing professionals with cyber defense expertise for the nation” (National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, 2016).

In 2008, the CAE in IA research was added to encourage doctoral research in cybersecurity. In 2010, Two-year institutions, technical schools, and government training centers were added (National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, 2016). In 2016, the CAE-Cyber Operations designation was announced and in 2017 it restructured to have two designation programs. The CAE-Cyber Operations Fundamental and the CAE-Cyber Operations Advanced (CAE-Cyber Operations Announcements, 2017). To date, there are over 200 colleges and universities designated as CAEs that develop and train individuals with cybersecurity responsibilities within the government and private industries (National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, 2016).

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