DHS Seeks Cyber Pros

The Homeland Security Department has launched a number of programs this year designed to recruit, hire, train and retain a top-notch cybersecurity workforce.

The programs have involved interdepartmental rotational assignments and other projects that give new employees the opportunity to see first-hand how the Secret Service or Immigration and Customs Enforcement handle computer forensics and law enforcement issues, or how the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team addresses cyber-related incidents for the federal government.

One program -- the Federal Cybersecurity Training Exercise program -- involves a partnership with the Foreign Service Institute and is designed to facilitate inter-agency collaboration and information sharing and help participants build, refine and maintain their knowledge and skills through training exercises that simulate cyber attacks.

Nicole Dean, acting director of the National Cybersecurity Division at DHS, said Thursday that the exercise program began as a pilot and involved IT security professionals from 25 agencies. The fiscal 2012 budget proposal includes funding to move the exercise pilot to a fully operational program, she said.

This spring, DHS also rolled out the Secretary's Honors Program for Cybersecurity Professionals, which offers college students in the summer between their junior and senior year a 10-week internship in one of DHS' cybersecurity programs. Participants who are successful may be offered a full-time position in a two-year cybersecurity rotational training program following graduation.

The Emerging Leaders in Cybersecurity program also launched this spring and will be open to recent graduates with a master's degree in an IT field. Fellows selected for the program will be encouraged to help grow the new program and participate in a departmentwide cybersecurity exercise in addition to participating in hands-on training through rotational assignments.

"The intent is to bring them into the department and get a taste for what they do and get some real world hands-on experience and hopefully come back to us once they graduate," said Keri Nusbaum, program manager for cyber workforce initiatives at DHS.

DHS also plans to launch two new programs in 2012 -- the DHS CyberRotations program, which provides current employees with experiential learning opportunities in cybersecurity across DHS components, and the Collaboration Opportunities program, which will provide employees with the opportunity to learn hands-on and side-by-side with partners at organizations like the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and the Secret Service National Computer Forensics Institute, among others.

Interested in applying for one of DHS' many cybersecurity development programs? Check out the DHS careers website for information on how to apply.