CIN-DAY CYBER CORRIDOR

Regional Consortia Approach to Cybersecurity Education 

and Workforce Readiness 

March 9, 2017

• Cybersecurity workforce market needs and opportunities analysis 

aligned with NICE Framework and Cybersecurity Jobs Heat Map

• Cybersecurity Regional Educational Program Inventory and Gap 

Analysis

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RESEARCH OVERVIEW

Partners / Resources

• Technology First - Ann Gallaher / Marcia Albers: Executive Directors 

• Center for Workforce Development: Cassie Barlow, PhD: Executive 

Director, WSU Aerospace Professional Development Center and; Chad 

Watchorn: Director of Operations, Aerospace Professional Development 

Center

• Richard Stock, Director, Business Research Group, University of Dayton

• David Snipes, Montgomery County Business Solutions Center

• Dr. Mary Haley: Director, Office of Small Business, AF Life Cycle 

Management Center

• Jane Dockery: Assistant Director, Applied Policy Research Institute, WSU

• Richard Harknett, PhD: Professor/Political Science Department Head, UC

• REDI Cincinnati - Kimm Coyner: Vice President, Business Development & 

Project Management 

• The Circuit, Cincinnati via Technology First and REDI Cincinnati
PROJECT STATUS
IT GAP ANALYSIS

JobsOhio Southwest (Cincinnati) and West (Dayton) Regions

• After “double-counting” has been eliminated, more 

completions (graduates) than (job) openings

▪ 15-1134 – Web Developers

▪ 15-1131 – Computer Programmers

▪ 15-1122 – Information Security Analysts i.e. 
JOBSOHIO IT OCCUPATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS

2015-2025

WEST/Dayton

SOUTHWEST/Cincinnati

WEST + SOUTHWEST

15-1122 Information Security Analysts 150 207 57 38%

TOTAL, All IT Occupations 14,795 16,901 2106 14%

Information Security Analysts 756 862 106 14%

TOTAL, All IT Occupations 27,357 30,258 3,561 13%

Information Security Analysts 906 1,069 163 18%

TOTAL, All IT Occupations 42,152 46,158 5,666 13%

2015 2025 # / + % / + RATIO

3.28
HIGHER EDUCATION 

INVENTORY

Schools, Programs, Certificates and Degrees

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WEST AND SOUTHWEST COLLEGES AND 

UNIVERSITIES WITH IT PROGRAMS AND DEGREES

• AFIT

• Antioch College

• Cedarville

• Central Michigan University

• Central State

• Cincinnati State Technical and 

Community College

• Clark State

• Edison Community College

• Miami University

• Mount St Joseph University

• Northern Kentucky University

• Sinclair Community College

• Southern State Community 

College

• Thomas Moore College

• University of Cincinnati

• University of Dayton

• Urbana University

• Wilberforce

• Wilmington College

• Wittenberg

• Wright State

• Xavier University
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Information

Security

Analysis

 Software

Development,

Applications

Software

Development

Systems

Database

Administration

Network and

Computer

Systems

Administration

Number: Courses, Degrees & 

Certifications by Occupational Area 

Colleges/Universities Dayton MSA 

Jan 2017*

Community College 4 Year College

*Colleges surveyed: Cedarville, Central State, Miami, Wittenberg, Wright State, University of Dayton, Clark, Edison, Sinclair
0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Number: Courses, Degrees & 

Certifications in Colleges/Universities 

Dayton MSA 

Jan 2017*

Community College

4 Year College

*Colleges surveyed: Cedarville, Central State, Miami, Wittenberg, Wright State, University of Dayton, Clark, Edison, Sinclair
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Technology First

• +/- 12 one-on-one, in-depth interviews

• Senior IT execs, Cincinnati & Dayton markets

• Purpose: In-depth conversations and tool to guide 

development of quantitative research instrument, 

identify and explore current & future issues of: 

▪ Workforce, recruitment, & hiring

▪ Budgets & corporate culture

▪ Knowledge & understanding of higher T&E 

capabilities and offerings
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Findings / Verbatims

• “...disconnect: most companies want/need more 

security professionals but company culture and/or 

budget hasn’t caught up yet.” 

• “Only organizations with FTE’s dedicated to security 

are:

– mid- to large-size organization in range of several 

1,000’s employees and/or...

– ...in heavily regulated industry and/or...

– ...provide security as a service to other 

companies” 
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Findings / Verbatims

• “Most companies instead have blended professionals 

that might do application development but security 

is part of their job.”

• “May be more interest in MIS major with security 

minor than pure security grad.”

• Many companies spoke to their interest in hosting 

interns or co-op students but also mentioned that 

they haven’t or don’t hire new graduates for 

Cybersecurity. 
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Findings / Verbatims

• Many companies interested in interns or co-op 

students but also stated they have not or do not hire 

new grads. 

• Interest in and ability to host interns and co-ops can 

infuse the students into the local workforce. 

• “Hiring new grads: Needing security pro’s vs hiring 

new grads can be two different situations.”
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Findings / Verbatims

• Frustration around training: constant, on-going need 

for training in security but many respondents found 

it unaffordable. Focused on tools / certificates.

• Conversely comments that too much focus on tools: 

broader problem solving-type thinking was missing in 

training offerings

• Important to understand how they want current staff 

trained – either affordably, on-line, or broader 

problem solving 
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Findings / Verbatims

• Certificate (4-5 classes) vs. Master’s Degree: 

Many times a company will pay for university 

(masters) fees before they will pay for training 

• Alternative may be university-sponsored 

certificate program: may be more amenable to 

companies’ policies
QUANTITATIVE 

RESEARCH

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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• On-line survey distributed by 

Technology First, The Circuit, AF 

Lifecycle Management Ctr, and Wright 

State Research Inst.

• Target: organizations’ members and 

relevant contacts

• November, 2016 – January 2017

• n = 75










13

19

5

17 21

24 11

5

24

22

29

37

62

25 21

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Interns, Apprentices,

or Co-op students

Recent graduates Candidates with 3-5 

years’ experience

Consulting firms Independent

contractors

Maybe/Unsure No, will not hire Yes, will hire


SUMMARY

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Gap analysis: Important but not infallible

• JobsOhio estimates look backward in time to project 

the future

• Intense focus on cybersecurity may create more 

demand than estimated now

• Assumption that “completions” are staying in region 

may not be correct

▪ Especially if demand, compensation, other factors 

are greater, more attractive in other regions

IT GAP ANALYSIS
Culture eats strategy. So do budgets.

• Disconnect: most companies want/need more 

security professionals but company culture and/or 

budget hasn’t caught up yet

• Many companies spoke to their interest in hosting 

interns or co-op students but also mentioned that 

they haven’t or don’t hire new graduates for 

Cybersecurity 

QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS 
Cybersecurity is special.

• Too much focus on tools: broader problem solvingtype thinking was missing in training offerings

• Important to understand how they want current staff 

trained – either affordably, on-line, or broader 

problem solving 

QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS 
College & Universities Traditional Structure

• On one hand: Many times a company will pay for 

university (masters) fees before they will pay for 

training 

• On the other.... Alternative may be universitysponsored certificate program: may be more 

amenable to companies’ policies

QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS 
Hiring vs. Training Current Staff

• Companies indicate plans to hire Cybersecurity 

personnel over next especially Bachelors-degreed

• Training budgets appear to be reasonable

• Use of outside consulting appears to be stable and 

comparable to current levels of usage

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS 
The “Wildcard” Forces of Talent Retention and 

Demand Growth 

• Cybersecurity virtually dominates daily news reports: 

need may spiral upward

• Demand for talent could 

decimate regional retention

• Industry and academia may need 

improved regular and formal 

planning

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS