"Help Wanted: The Cybersecurity Workforce of the Future Starts with Students Today"
The growing vulnerability of critical infrastructure systems to cyberattacks calls for more cybersecurity professionals that can help harden and protect them from unauthorized access. The cybersecurity workforce shortage remains as studies show that there are about 2 million open jobs in the cybersecurity field. The shortage of professionals in the field is expected to double by 2025 as the number of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies increases in critical infrastructure, homes, and businesses. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) established an initiative aimed at growing the cybersecurity workforce for the future by offering opportunities to local high school and college students to explore the cybersecurity career field. PNNL's cybersecurity workforce outreach efforts include community awareness campaigns, teacher training programs, summer camps, lab internship programs, and more. This article continues to discuss the importance of filling the cybersecurity talent gap and PNNL's efforts to increase the cyber talent pool.