Chairman Carper Commends DHS Launch of New Cyber-Training Initiative

WASHINGTON – Today, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) commended the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) launch of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS), an online resource for cybersecurity career, education, and training information. The NICCS, developed in partnership with DHS, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Defense, the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and the Office of Personnel Management, combines government, industry, and academia efforts to provide a comprehensive, single resource to address the nation’s cybersecurity knowledge needs.  For more information, please visit: http://niccs.us-cert.gov/.

As a co-author of recent cybersecurity legislation, including the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 and most recently the Cybersecurity and American Cyber Competitiveness Act of 2013, Chairman Carper has made it a priority to develop and bolster cyber security education across the nation in order to identify and train the future cyber security workforce.

“Cybersecurity is now one of our nation’s biggest challenges and an issue we must all take very seriously,” said Chairman Carper. “That is why cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility, and it is why this initiative is so important. This comprehensive website makes it easier for America’s next generation of cyber experts to find the resources they need to develop the skills necessary to defend our country and be better prepared to face tomorrow’s cyber threats. It remains a top priority of mine to examine the cybersecurity threat we face and define what we need to do to better protect ourselves, including the development of a robust cybersecurity workforce. Our nation cannot afford more delay on this issue, and I intend to hold a hearing on this important topic in the near future as we craft legislation.”