A bipartisan bill recently led by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) would require that a plan be developed to establish a federal government institute to serve as a centralized federal cyber workforce resource and training center.
“Cybersecurity is involved in every aspect of the federal government and continues to rapidly evolve,” Sen. Rounds said on July 26. “We can’t simply keep up with this evolution, we must be ahead of the curve.”
The Federal Cyber Workforce Training Act of 2024, S. 4715, was sponsored by Sen. Rounds on July 11 alongside lead original cosponsor U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA). The bill, if enacted, would require that the National Cyber Director, in consultation with other agencies deemed necessary, submit a report to Congress on establishing a federal institute to provide training for personnel hired for cyber work roles in the federal government, and training for personnel with responsibilities for human resource functions related to cyber personnel.
“Being proactive in training our federal cyber workforce will help the United States bolster cybersecurity across all agencies of the federal government,” said Sen. Rounds.
The established program would make it easier for federal government employers to prepare newly hired, early-career personnel for federal cyber positions, according to the lawmakers, and it would support new skills for federal workers moving jobs mid-career.
The program also would leverage the private sector and academia to develop and deliver cyber training, they said.
“Strong cybersecurity is a necessity to protect families and businesses from threats and bad actors,” said Sen. Ossoff. “That’s why Sen. Rounds and I are introducing this new bipartisan bill to help ensure we have the workforce we need to protect families and businesses from cyber threats, with Georgia positioned to lead the way.”