The southeastern cyber workforce alliance (secwa) project is designed to enhance cybersecurity workforce development and improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (deia) across the…

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) awarded a $349,000 Cooperative Agreement to The Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies, Inc. (doing business as SANS Institute) under the Science, Technology, Business and/or Education Outreach Federal Grant Program (CFDA 11.620). The project, titled the Southeastern Cyber Workforce Alliance (SECWA), is designed to enhance cybersecurity workforce development and improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) across the Southeastern United States. SECWA will offer free aptitude assessments, skills training, industry certifications, mentorship, and career services to help career changers and job seekers, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), women, and students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), enter the cybersecurity field. The project aims to build an employer-driven talent pipeline and align with strategic workforce goals, ensuring high-quality job outcomes. The award period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026.

Activities

Secwa will offer free aptitude assessments, skills training, industry certifications, mentorship, and career services to help career changers and job seekers enter the cybersecurity field. The project aims to build an employer-driven talent pipeline and align with strategic workforce goals, ensuring high-quality job outcomes and adherence to deia principles. IT will provide online assessments, tailored skills development, and industry-recognized certifications, with top performers advancing to accredited academic programs through partnerships with CAE institutions.

Expected outcomes

The secwa project will measure its success using data from giac certification exams and career placement metrics, with results securely stored and managed in salesforce. The final report, developed by cyversity and sans, will analyze project outcomes, including certification rates, job placements, and deia impacts, and will be disseminated through white papers, press releases, and presentations. This report will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the program and potential areas for future improvement.

Intended beneficiaries

The intended beneficiaries of the secwa project include black, indigenous, and people of color (bipoc), women, and students and alumni from historically black colleges and universities (hbcus) and minority-serving institutions (msis).

Subrecipient activities

There are no planned subawards.