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Planning Program Guidelines 

What Is Cybersecurity Career Week? 

The Cybersecurity Career Week (CCW) focuses local, regional, and national interest to inspire, 

educate, and engage children through adults to pursue careers in cybersecurity. 

Cybersecurity Career Week takes place the third week in October during Cybersecurity Awareness 

Month, and each day of the week-long celebration provides for learning about the contributions, 

innovations, and opportunities that can be found by exploring cybersecurity as a field of study or 

career choice. 

During the week, learners of all ages, educators, parents, employers, and the community will 

participate in the recognition of how cybersecurity plays a vital role in global society, showcasing 

how building a nation’s cybersecurity workforce enhances each nation’s security and promotes 

economic prosperity. 

Key Messages 

Use these key messages to craft your own communications to your contacts. Cybersecurity Career Week: 

• Cybersecurity has something for everyone! Skills are needed from a diverse range of backgrounds. 

• Cybersecurity is a dynamic field so you will never be bored. Cybersecurity evolves quickly so you will 

always be learning and developing new skills. 

• There is a high demand for a talented cybersecurity workforce. The Department of Labor predicts 

that IT and cybersecurity will be among the fastest growing and best paying jobs over the next 

decade. 
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• Cybersecurity plays a vital role in the lives of all and the cybersecurity workforce makes a difference 

in our world. Building a national cybersecurity workforce enhances national security and promotes 

economic prosperity.

Not sure where to start in planning a program for CCW? The following are some guidelines to 

consider when planning a public CCW event. 

Determine your target audience. Before developing programs about careers in cybersecurity, it is 

important to determine who you are trying to reach and why. Understand the needs and interests of your 

audience. Some potential target audiences include: 

• Displaced workers 

• IT employees transitioning to cybersecurity 

• Veterans 

• Recent college graduates 

• K-12 students (elementary, middle, or high school) 

• Higher education faculty 

• Higher education career counselors and career navigators 

• Parents 

• K-12 educators, administrators, school counselors 

Select your topic. To launch a successful program your topic should be of direct benefit to your 

audience. Include information about local resources and services that will enable the audience to 

take advantage of the information they have received at your event. 

Determine your staff needs to execute your program. Do you have the staff needed to run a successful 

event, or do you need to recruit volunteers? Be sure to define roles and responsibilities so that staff 

and volunteers know what's expected of them. 

Develop a budget for the event and plan accordingly. 

Do you need to seek outside funding? If so, consider the following: 

• Approach local businesses. They're often looking for ways to promote their involvement in 

the community and will provide financial assistance in exchange for their name or logo on 

publicity or promotional materials. Other groups to consider are:

o Meetups (women in cybersecurity, hacker groups, cybersecurity clubs) o

State and local Chamber of Commerce 

o State and local Departments of Economic and Workforce Development 

o Centers of Academic Excellence o State and local Technology Councils o

Local Chapters of Professional Organizations 

• Don't forget about in-kind donations. Gifts of materials, services such as printing, food, or 

event space are very valuable.
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Collaborate with other organizations to reduce costs and share responsibilities. Combining 

resources may also help to attract larger audiences, obtain media coverage, and secure event 

space, speakers, and volunteers. 

Select a format. Would your topic be better presented by a single presenter, several presenters, 

or a panel discussion? Do you want to have audience participation? Will your audience respond 

well to hands-on demonstrations, lab tours, or other forms of interactive activities such as 

questionnaires and quizzes? 

Potential formats include: 

• Conference (two-day, one-day, 1⁄2 day)

• Workshop (full-day, half- day, a couple of hours)

• Open House

• Job Shadowing

• Career fair

• Student Assembly

• After-school Program

• Webinar

Select a location. Keep the following in mind: 

• Does it work for the event format? Can it accommodate the audience size?

• Is there adequate parking and public transportation?

• Is it geographically well situated for your intended audience?

• Are there provisions for handicapped guests?

• What are the electrical and audio-visual capabilities?

• Is there internet access?

• Can the venue provide additional staffing?

Select a date/time. The timing of the event should be determined by what is most appropriate for 

your target audience. For example, schedule family events for weekend afternoons; programs for 

students during the school day; and events for working professionals on weekday evenings. Before 

finalizing a date, don't forget to investigate other activities and events in your area that may attract 

the very same audience as your proposed program. 

Select your speaker(s). Review your plans for audience, topic, location, timing, and format with 

prospective speakers. Select a speaker with good “people” skills who can interact well with your 

audience. 

Consider the following tips for finding a speaker(s): 
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• Contact local government, industry, or college/university departments with cybersecurity or 

related programs of study. Many government and industry professionals are happy to share 

their expertise. It also allows local organizations to showcase their products and services

and aid in recruitment—a win-win for all. 

• Contact Meetup groups, state and local Technology Councils, state and local Chambers of 

Commerce, and state and local Departments of Economic and Workforce Development. 

Staff can reach into membership to help recruit speakers. 

 

Work with your speaker(s) to develop the content of the program and prepare them to speak on 

the audience’s level. The more precise you are about the interests of your audience and the 

message you wish to convey, the more effective your speaker(s) and program will be. 

If you would like press coverage of your program, develop a media plan to identify your target 

media outlets and establish a schedule of communication. Fact sheets and press releases on your 

topic are often a useful tool for the media. 

Plan for the day of the event. Things to think about in advance of your event include registration, 

signage, hand-outs and materials, press participation, and audio-visual needs. Also, know where 

services are located at your event site, including toilets, handicapped facilities and access, 

elevators/stairs, emergency aid, and public transportation. 

Allow time for follow-up. In addition to completing the administrative details of the event, it is 

important to “close out” your program properly.

• Elicit comments and suggestions from your audience and share any feedback with your 

speakers and co-sponsors.

• Thank your speakers and co-sponsors/hosts (if any).

• Debrief with staff and prepare a brief summary of the event for your records and assess the 

program’s effectiveness in carrying your message to your target audience. This will help you 

and your organization plan for future activities.

We would love to learn more about your 

program.

Submit an overview of your event to 

nice@nist.gov.