NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association today applauded the release of the Biden Administration’s National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy. NTCA provided input into the strategy as it was developed, and NTCA Vice President of Policy and Industry Innovation Joshua Seidemann attended the launch event.
“It is critical that our current and future workforce has the skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly digital world,” NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield said. “NTCA is committed to helping our members improve their cybersecurity posture, keep their customers safe online and build their workforce of the future. We greatly appreciate the opportunity to provide input into the strategy announced today. Strengthened cybersecurity education efforts and enhanced coordination between government, industry and educational institutions will help lay the groundwork for more Americans to stay safe online and participate more meaningfully in our digital economy. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Administration on this important effort.”
As part of this commitment, NTCA introduced CyberShare: The Small Broadband Provider ISAC in 2020, to help small broadband providers protect their networks through an intelligence sharing community. Additionally, NTCA will release cybersecurity communications resources to its internet provider members and encourage them to share messages about how to stay safe online with their customers and other consumers during Cybersecurity Awareness Month this fall.
NTCA also has partnered with Northwood Technical College in Rice Lake, Wis., to provide NTCA members with online access to Northwood’s Broadband Academy courses and “Digital Badging” program, which provides employees with professional development opportunities and companies with a pipeline of skilled workers. Additionally, the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), the philanthropic arm of NTCA, published a “Guide to Careers in Rural Telecommunications” booklet to highlight the types of job opportunities available within local rural telecommunications companies. And NTCA’s Smart Communities program teamed up with the National Rural Education Association (NREA) to create the Broadband Opportunities and Leadership Development (BOLD) K-12 Career Awareness Toolkit, which provides guidance and best practices for locally operated communications providers and educators to create more awareness of broadband careers among K-12 students.