Cybersecurity Education: Availability & Access in Public High Schools
Need
The United States has over 572,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs*. The cybersecurity workforce deficit provides an opportunity for high-wage jobs for Americans, which if filled will bolster efforts to protect America’s national and economic security. Securing the cybersecurity workforce starts with ensuring that cybersecurity education and career pathways are available and accessible to students.
Data
Findings are based on a sample of 47% of Public High Schools in the United States, resulting in a 99.99% confidence level. Using purposive sampling, data were collected from: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Maryland, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia. Findings are also reported by state.
Research
*Cyberseek.org December 2023
Findings
Summary Report
Recommendations
Invest in Cyber Ranges and Virtualizations | Invest in Teacher Professional Development | Invest in Gateway-to-Cybersecurity Courses |
Invest in Cybersecurity Courses and Pathways | Catalyze Around a National Set of K-12 Cybersecurity Educational Guidelines/ Standards | Continue Studying the Landscape and Include Measurements of Student Demographics at the Course/ Program Level |
About Us:
DARK Enterprises, Inc. is a small, women-led non-profit dedicated to developing, supporting, and stewarding excellent cybersecurity education at the secondary level. Our mission is to nurture a sustainable cybersecurity education ecosystem by providing resources, training, and support to secondary school educators teaching cybersecurity.
Other Initiatives by DARK Enterprises, Inc.
Research made possible by:
Collaboration with the National Cryptologic Foundation CAE-C: H98230-20-1-0292 Subaward: SA20137; the University of Alabama - Huntsville, and Moraine Valley Community College, Illinois. Murray State University provided support for CyberSuppy Kentucky, The Center for the Future of Arizona provided support for Arizona.
Updated: December 2023