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[Technical Initiative Funding Request]: Cybersecurity Workforce Development (Education Focus)
Problem Statement
Talent shortage of cybersecurity professionals
Demand exceeds supply within the cybersecurity workforce, as cited by numerous statistics and studies in recent years 1 , 2, 3) leading to an increased in emphasis on cybersecurity education to fulfill the workforce needs.
Time Scarcity of Cybersecurity Professionals for Educating
The workforce demand exceeding supply of cybersecurity talent leads to a continuous and compounding problem resulting from a lack of resources (including availability of time from credentialed cybersecurity professionals) to assist with education of persons furthering education in cybersecurity disciplines.
*Those most motivated to receive cybersecurity education may have financial impediments to continuing their education necessary to maintain cybersecurity skills. *
Who does this affect?
All participating Open-Source communities, OpenSSF Team, Linux Foundation, young software engineers, those seeking to further education in cybersecurity principles, and economically disadvantaged persons (including students) seeking to further their understanding of cybersecurity principles and developing secure software by design.
Have there been previous attempts to solve this problem?
Yes, there have been many attempts to solve for this/these problem(s). Some have been successful, however the scale of this problem and the issues attributed to the availability of time from credentialed cybersecurity professionals. This frequently results from the constrained resources of the cybersecurity workforce (Time in high demand of cybersecurity professionals and minimal availability). The numbers indicate a demand from industry for more cybersecurity professionals and a resulting demand on the resource (time) necessary to upskill, mentor, and educate technologists and software developers in cybersecurity.
Our approach is to apply resources we have available to work alongside the existing education system to encourage people interested in cybersecurity to increase their education in cybersecurity principals, including those that may be deemed as economically disadvantaged with difficulties attaining the resources to receive education on the subject matter.
Why it should be accomplished now by this TI?
The cybersecurity workforce demand is significant. Further collaboration with the education system will enable an increase to the cybersecurity skillsets of students with interest in software, those already skilled in software development principals, and further the reach of cybersecurity education to persons that are deemed as economically disadvantaged.
What is required to make the funding initiative happen? Attachment A includes what needs accomplishment and funding that is requested/necessary for each objective achievement. Resources needed include:
Lead Educator
Prepares the live instruction being delivered throughout the scheduled 10-weeks to students enrolled.
Experience: 15+ years of cybersecurity experience, experience cybersecurity education in live instruction
In-Person Educator
Provides in-person mentorship and assistance to students enrolled at the educational entity to ensure all students are progressing through the course, including those that may be learning the information for the first time.
Works on refining the deliverables and confirms the best practices to educate LFD 121 students of the demographic reached. Includes observations, frequently asked questions, and recommendations regarding what leads to success with the demographics of students receiving the cybersecurity education.
Experience: 5+ years of cybersecurity experience, ability to share experiences and assist with questions from personnel.
Business Administrator
Prepares the information to share with OpenSSF Education WGs/SIGs, LF, and all relevant persons (including the educational entity) in a easily accessible and legible format (report). Gathers completed forms and facilitates the fulfillment of deliverables to the relevant OpenSSF representative(s) to approve.
Consolidates information to share with the OpenSSF representatives in the Education SIG, WGs, LF, etc. Templates available upon request. Encourages continuous improvement to existing coursework to reach various demographics from learned experience and shares deliverables with relevant teams.
Scholarships may allow for students with difficulties with access to continuing cybersecurity education to maintain them.
Experience: 2+ years experience with administrative tasks and facilitating professional relationships.
Deliverables Includes: LFD 121 In-Person Live Instruction Deliverables.pdf
What is going to be needed to deliver this funding initiative?
Adjustments to existing LMS at partnering secondary school, funding of resources and shared budget requested.
Adjustments to the existing LMS has been confirmed as viable and scoped to 10 hours of time by the lead educator.
Are there tools or tech that needs to be produced to facilitate the funding initiative?
No, unless slight augmentation to an LMS to support LFD 121 curriculum would be qualify in the context of this question.
Summary of the requirements that contextualize the costs of funding the initiative?
Attached "Summary of Deliverables" and "Budget Request Summary" includes an overview contextualizing the costs of funding the initiative. Summary of Deliverables.pdf
4.1.1 Mutual Agreement Status Report Resource: Business Administrator (Consolidates Reports)
4.1.2 Expansion of Partnerships to include a Secondary School (comprised of 80%+ Means-Tested students) Resource: Business Administrator, Lead Educator, In-Person Educator
4.1.3 Live Instructor Led Delivery of LF 121 Developing Secure Software to Secondary School Resource: Business Administrator, Lead Educator, In-Person Educator
4.1.4 Means-tested scholarships Resource: Business Administrator (Verification alongside school leadership)
4.1.5 Deliver Initial Live Instructor Led Content Resources: Lead Educator, In-Person Educator, Business Administrator
4.1.6 In-Person Mentorship & Support for Means-Tested Resources: In-Person Educator (In-person Q&A, Recommendations, Assistance made available throughout 10-weeks), Lead Educator (Recommendations to In-Person Educator when applicable), Business Administrator
Who is responsible for doing the work of this funding initiative?
Lead Educator, In-Person Educator, and Business Administrator
Who is accountable for doing the work of this funding initiative?
Legal entity tasking the Lead Educator, In-Person Educator, and Business Administrator.
There are multiple back-up contacts in case the accountable parties are no longer available that could support this initiative.
Which technical initiative will this funding initiative be associated with, will it report to which WG or project?
The funding initiative will be associated with an entity led by the Education SIG. As an example, this may include the DEI Working Group.
SOW Summary
This summary of the PWS/SOW includes the deliverables of the entire Performance Work Statement.
To request the Performance Work Statement that contains entire PWS documentation, please review our instructions regarding the sumission of a request to our Git Account.
Sample of PWS with SOW(Sample of SOW - PWS.pdf)
4.1.1 Mutual Agreement Status Report
Deliverables: A. Monthly Mutual Agreement Status Report (Tasks Achievement)
4.1.2 Expansion of Partnerships to include a Secondary School (comprised of 80%+ Means-Tested students)
Deliverables: A. Schedule for live instructor led delivery of LF 121 content (Due by August 1st, 2024) B. Scholarship application document (Due by August 1st, 2024) C. List of enrollees verified by secondary school leadership (Due by September 1st, 2024) D. Secondary School Letter of Commitment Signed by Leadership (Due by August 1st, 2024/August 23rd, 2024)
4.1.3 Live Instructor Led Delivery of LF 121 Developing Secure Software to Secondary School
Deliverables: A. Credential Instructor’s Letter of Commitment (By August 1st, 2024) B. List of enrollees from secondary school in the instructor led course, Signed and Verified by Secondary School’s leadership (By September 1st, 2024) C. Status Report on Lessons delivered to means-tested students (September 1st, 2024, October 1st, 2024, November 1st, 2024) D. Monthly enrollee’s status report (September 1st, 2024, October 1st, 2024, November 1st, 2024) E. Summary of applicants for scholarship (September 1st, 2024)
4.1.4 Means-tested scholarships
Deliverables: A. Status report of means-tested students progress (Due Monthly, September 1st, 2024, , October 1st, 2024, November 1st, 2024) B. Letter of verification signed by leadership of secondary school of the student’s mean’s tested eligibility (Due by August 31st, 2024) C. Scholarship issuance report to all means-tested recipients of scholarship including $ amount (Due by November 1st, 2024)
4.1.5 Deliver Initial Live Instructor Led Content
Deliverables: A. Progress report weekly B. Instructor Attendance Report C. Instructor Performance Report D. Documentation of the summary of observations, lessons learned, and best practices for live instruction of LFD 121 (Due by November 1st, 2024, progress may be requested earlier upon request)
4.1.6 In-Person Mentorship & Support for Economically Disadvantaged
Deliverables: A. Progress report weekly B. List of frequently asked questions from students D. Documentation of the summary of observations, lessons learned, and best practices for live instruction of LFD 121 (Due by November 1st, 2024, progress may be requested earlier upon request)
How will updates be made available to OpenSSF and relevant WGs/TAC?
Deliverables Report Monthly Updates.pdf
List the major milestones by date and identify the overall timeline within which the technical initiative plans to accomplish their goals. Any payments for services, sponsorships, etc., will require LF Legal and Financial review.
Mid-June TAC proposal review
July 16th-30th CyberEducators Team Member Joins DEI Meetings & Education SIG Meetings sharing updates in preparation for Fall 2024 In-Person Education
Aug 1st PWS/SOW work begins
Aug 15th Preparation for 10-week instructor led course
September 1st Applications completed and report available regarding students attending the 10-week instructor led course completed & report available to WG/Education SIG/OpenSSF entity responsible for receipt of deliverables
Sept 1st – 30th Completion & reporting of month 1 deliverables
Oct 1st - 31st Completion & reporting of month 2 deliverables
Nov 1st - 30th Completion & reporting of month 3 deliverables
Pay schedule requested is included in the PWS. To request the Performance Work Statement that contains entire PWS documentation, please review our instructions regarding the sumission of a request to our Git Account.
