Webinar Series

Competencies – The Next Frontier for Closing the Cybersecurity Skills Gap

December 16, 2020
Competencies in the Revised Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity 

(NICE Framework)

Karen A. Wetzel, Manager of the NICE Framework

karen.wetzel@nist.gov
Why a Workforce Framework 

for Cybersecurity?

2
A consistent framework model...

• Enables the establishment of regular processes – from hiring to 

training and assessment – for multiple roles in an organization. 

• Shares clear information about cybersecurity work to help 

students interested in this career field, people looking for a new 

job or to change job roles, and workers who are looking to 

demonstrate or increase their competencies. 

• Provides direct information about what a workforce needs to 

know, helping in the development of certificates, badging, and 

other verification techniques to consistently describe learner 

capabilities

3

EMPLOYERS

LEARNERS

EDUCATION, TRAINING, & 

CREDENTIAL PROVIDERS
NICE Framework Revision

4
Revision Changes

• Introduction of Competencies

• Removed: 

– Specialty Areas (reflected in 

Competencies, Roles)

– Ability Statements (incorporated in 

Skill statements)

• Appendices: Moved outside the 

publication

5

Revision Changes

nist.gov/nice/framework
• Agility

• Flexibility

• Interoperability

• Modularity

NICE Framework Attributes

6
Why Competencies?

7
Executive Order on 

Modernizing and Reforming 

the Assessment and Hiring of 

Federal Job Candidates 

(June 2020)

America’s private employers have modernized 

their recruitment practices to better identify 

and secure talent through skills- and 

competency-based hiring.

...

Modernizing our country’s processes for 

identifying and hiring talent will provide 

America a more inclusive and demand-driven 

labor force ... ensuring that the individuals 

most capable of performing the roles and 

responsibilities required of a specific position 

are those hired for that position.

8

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidentialactions/executive-order-modernizingreforming-assessment-hiring-federal-jobcandidates/
Building Blocks: Tasks, Knowledge, and Skills (TKS)

Describes the Work

Describes the Learner

9
TEAMS

COMPETENCIES

WORK 

ROLES

Applications and Uses

10
What is a Competency?

11
12

Competency: A mechanism for 

organizations to assess learners. 

Competencies consist of a name, description of 

the Competency, and group of associated TKS 

(Task, Knowledge, Skill) statements. 

Competencies are 

• Defined via an employer-driven approach 

• Learner-focused 

• Observable and measurable 

COMPETENCIES

that learners

possess, acquire, develop

NICE Framework

Education, 

Training Providers, 

Employers

Employers

define

identify assess

What are Competencies?
But how can I use them? 

• Employers

– Describe needed expertise within 

a given position 

– Track workforce capabilities 

– Specify team requirements 

– Assess learner capabilities 

13

Assessment examples: 

• Interview

• Pre-employment testing

• Work-based learning observation

• Lab-based demonstration

• Oral evaluation

Ex.: Using Competencies to Assess Learners 

through a Position Description 
• Education/Training Providers

– Instructors might look at the most 

frequent K&S reflected in a competency 

to focus on teaching those 

– Providers might use tasks in a 

competency to test whether learners 

have achieved the K&S in that area

– Providers might use a set of 

competencies to develop a learning 

program

14

Can be applied in parts or as a whole

• Knowledge & Skills

• Tasks

• Competency

• Multiple Competencies

Ex.: Using Competencies to Assess 

Learners through a Credential 

But how can I use them? 
• Learners

– To assess one’s abilities

– To identify areas that may need 

development

– To learn about a defined area of 

expertise

– To understand an organization’s 

workforce needs

15

At multiple stages:

• Initial Interest

• Students

• Job-seekers

• Career Development

Competency

Knowle

dge

Skill Task

Ex.: Assessing 

One’s Abilities

But how can I use them? 

Knowledge
• 2021 Change Plan

Review and updates to align with revision; for final release November 2021

– Competencies (including Specialty Areas) – expected January 2021

– Work Roles (including Specialty Areas)

– Skill Statements (including Ability Statements)

– Knowledge Statements

– Task Statements

– Categories

• 2021-2022: Ongoing Change Process

– Additions, adjustments

– Earlier content will still be available

– New supporting resources

Next Steps

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December 2020/

January 2021

Launch of NICE 

Framework 

Users Group

17
Karen Wetzel

Manager of the NICE Framework

karen.wetzel@nist.gov

NICEFramework@nist.gov

18

NICE Framework Resource Center

nist.gov/nice/framework

NICE Framework Publication

Revised, streamlined document

NICE Framework Data

Tasks, Knowledge, Skills, and Work Roles 

(formerly appendices) continue to be 

available at the NICE Framework Resource 

Center; Competencies to join soon.

THANK YOU!
Q & A 

19
USING COMPETENCY-BASED APPROACHES TO CLOSE 

THE CYBERSECURITY SKILLS GAP
Knowledge Skills & 

Abilities

Intellectual 

Behaviors

Application 

& Transfer

Focus on what’s needed to be successful – outcomes.

What do I 

need to know? 

What theories 

or ideas?

What do I 

need to be 

able to do? 

What 

dispositions 

must I display? 

Where must I be 

able to apply 

these KSAs, and at 

what level? 

Understands the theory of XXX, and has the skills and 

dispositions to successfully apply all of these at the

beginning level in XXX situation. 

Competency Defined

21
What is CBE?

• Competency-based education (CBE) is focused on 

actual student learning, and the application of that 

learning, rather than time spent in class/on material. 

• Learners’ progress is measured when they 

demonstrate their competence through a system of 

rigorous assessments, meaning they prove they have 

mastered the knowledge and skills, required for a 

particular competency or area of study. 

22
Competency-Based Approaches

▪ Courses or modules offered 

by IHEs

▪ Prior Learning Assessment

▪ Military credit

▪ Other work-based learning

▪ Apprenticeships

▪ Industry certifications

▪ Government licensures

Competency-Based Learning

Competency-Based Education

▪ Direct assessment credential programs

▪ Course-based, credit-hour CBE credential programs

23
C-BEN Resources 

24
C-BEN’s Priorities and Work

Grow 

Demand

Build

Capacity

Remove 

Barriers Grow 

Demand

Build

Capacity

Remove 

Barriers

25
Here to Help Others Transition to CBE

Dr. Charla Long

Executive Director

Competency-Based Education Network

charla@c-ben.org

615-517-1256

Website: www.cbenetwork.org

26
Q & A 

27
Building a 

Dynamic Skills 

Organisation

Brian Kropp

Vice President and Chief of Human 

Resource Research

16th December 2020
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

12.6 11.5 10.5 9.5 8.4

1.6

5.2 7.5 10.1

0

10

20

2017 2018 2019 2020

(Preliminary)

2021

(Projected)

2017 Skills New Skills

One-Two Punch: More Skills and New Skills

Average Skills Required per Job Posting

IT, Finance and Sales Roles in U.S.

Rising Demand for More Skills

The total number of skills required 

for a single job is increasing by 

10% year-over-year.

n = 13,166,410 (2019); 12,008,840 (2018); 9,991,265 (2017) job postings

Source: Gartner TalentNeuron

1

New Skills Displacing Old Skills

33% of the skills that were present 

in an average job posting in 2017 

will not be needed by 2021. 

2

13.1

15.7

17.0

18.5

1.6

29
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

HR Reacting to Skill Changes

Q: “We Are Constantly Trying to Keep Up With the 

Learning Requests of the Business.”

Percentage of HR Executives

“There are many more requests for learning, and we don’t have the resources or staff to address them all. ... and when 

we put together a learning solution, the business has already moved on.”

Head of Learning and Development, Manufacturing Organization

n = 75 HR executives

Source: 2020 Gartner Shifting Skills Survey for HR Executives

Q: “Our HR Function Addresses Skill Needs When 

Asked by the Business.”

Percentage of HR Executives

59%

Agree

41%

Disagree

63%

Agree

37%

Disagree

n = 75 HR executives

Source: 2020 Gartner Shifting Skills Survey for HR Executives

30
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

0%

50%

100%

Time

n = 6,510 employees; 75 HR executives; 35,166,515 job postings for IT, Finance and Sales in U.S.

Source: 2020 Shifting Skills Survey for Employees; 2020 Shifting Skills Survey for HR Executives; Gartner TalentNeuron

Reactive Approach Fails to Keep Up

New Skills Applied Over Time, by Skill Approach

Average Percentage of New Skills Applied

A reactive skills approach 

results in employees only 

applying 54% of the new 

skills they learn.

New Skills Applied measures the percentage of new skills employees learn and apply on the job. 

A reactive approach is 

primarily focused on adjusting 

skill strategies based on needs 

requested by the business.

Reactive

6 Months 12 Months 18 Months

31
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Pressure on HR to Get Ahead of Skill Needs

Demands From All Directions to Identify the “Skills of the Future”

Employees

Compared to three years ago, 69% 

of HR executives report more 

pressure from employees to provide 

development opportunities that will 

prepare them for future roles. 

n = 75 HR executives

Source: 2020 Gartner Shifting Skills Survey for HR Executives; “The 5 Most Important Job Skills For The Future,” Forbes; “The Impact of AI on 

Inequality, Job Automation, and Skills of the Future,” Toward Data Science.

CEOs and Business Leaders

60% of HR executives report 

pressure from CEO to ensure 

employees have the skills 

needed in the future. 

Media

The Impact of AI 

on Inequality, Job 

Automation, Skills 

of the Future 

The 5 Most 

Important Job 

Skills for the 

Future

HR Leader

32
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Our Strategy: Predicting Skill Shifts

Q: “My Organization Prioritizes Identifying Skills 

That We Anticipate Needing in the Future.”

Percentage of HR Executives

Common Focus: Identify Required Future Skills

52%

Agree

48%

Disagree

n = 75 HR executives

Source: 2020 Gartner Shifting Skills Survey for HR Executives

What skills will my 

organization need in 

the future to be 

successful?

Skill Set of 

the Future

HR 

Leaders

Source: Gartner

Components of a Predictive Approach

Focus on identifying a 

fixed set of future skills.

Target investments at preemptive 

development programs.

Inspire employees to

adopt a learning mindset. 

Source: Gartner

33
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

0%

50%

100%

6 Months 12 Months 18 Months

Goal: Preempt Fast Shifts With Predictive

New Skills Applied Over Time, by Skill Approach

Average Percentage of New Skills Applied

Time

n = 6,510 employees; 75 HR executives; 35,166,515 job postings for IT, Finance and Sales in U.S.

Source: 2020 Shifting Skills Survey for Employees; 2020 Shifting Skills Survey for HR Executives; Gartner TalentNeuron

Hypothesis: A predictive approach will increase the 

percentage of skills employees learn and apply on the job.

Reactive

Predictive 

(Hypothesized)

34
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Predictive Approach Is Worse Than Reactive

New Skills Applied Over Time, by Skill Approach

Average Percentage of New Skills Applied

Time

n = 6,510 employees; 75 HR executives; 35,166,515 job postings for IT, Finance and Sales in U.S.

Source: 2020 Shifting Skills Survey for Employees; 2020 Shifting Skills Survey for HR Executives; Gartner TalentNeuron

0%

50%

100%

6 Months 12 Months 18 Months

-31%

Reactive

Predictive

A predictive skills approach results 

in employees only applying 37% of 

the new skills they learn. 

35
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Shortfalls of A Predictive Approach

Three Reasons A Predictive Approach Decreases Application

No Crystal Ball

Predicting and committing to 

a defined set of future skill 

needs leads organizations to

focus on the wrong skills.

Shortening Half-Life 

of Skills

The duration for which skills 

are used in a job is 

shortening, leaving much 

learning content outdated.

Undirected Learning

Employees struggle to see 

how fast-changing skill needs 

align with their personal 

development and waste time 

on irrelevant learning.

Today’s Reality

“If we provide robust 

learning offerings, our 

employees will get the 

learning they need.”

“If our employees adopt a 

learning mindset, they will 

learn the new skills they need 

for the future.”

“We can identify a set of 

skills that will prepare our 

workforce for changes that 

come.”

HR 

Questions

Faulty 

Assumptions

How do you develop 

skills more quickly? 

How do you create a skill 

strategy that meets 

changing needs?

How do you get employees 

to rapidly upskill as needs 

change?

1 2 3

Source: Gartner

36
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Is There a Third Way?

Skill Approaches

Reactive Predictive

• Fill skill requests as they come in 

from the business.

• Rely on proven processes that 

were effective in the past.

• Expect managers to help drive skill 

development when new needs 

arise. 

• Focus on identifying a fixed set of 

future skills.

• Target investments at preemptive 

development programs.

• Inspire employees to adopt a 

learning mindset.

iterative

imperfect

adaptive grounded

networked

course-corrective

fast

Source: Gartner

37
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Better Approach: A Dynamic Skills Organization

Source: Gartner

How do you develop 

skills more quickly? 

How do you create a 

skill strategy that meets 

changing needs?

How do you get employees 

to upskill as needed? HR Questions

1 2 3

Facilitate dynamic crossorganizational networks to 

sense shifting skill needs.

Identify and implement skill 

accelerators to develop skills 

at the time of need.

Empower employees with 

relevant information to make 

timely skill decisions.

A Dynamic Skills Approach

Not an “HR Solution”: A dynamic skills approach requires 

all impacted stakeholders to manage changing skill needs.

38
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Time

Dynamic Approach Maximizes Application

New Skills Applied Over Time, by Skill Approach

Average Percentage of New Skills Applied

n = 6,510 employees; 75 HR executives; 35,166,515 job postings for IT, Finance and Sales in U.S.

Source: 2020 Shifting Skills Survey for Employees; 2020 Shifting Skills Survey for HR Executives; Gartner TalentNeuron

0%

50%

100%

Reactive

Predictive

Dynamic

6 Months 12 Months 18 Months

2x

A dynamic skills approach results 

in employees applying 75% of 

the new skills they learn. 

39
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

5.1% 3.4%

24.4%

-20

0

20

40

7.1%

-10.1%

34%

-20

0

20

40

Dynamic Approach Boosts Key Talent Outcomes

Maximum Impact of Skill Approach on Employee Performance

Percentage of Improvement

Maximum Impact of Skill Approach on Employee Engagement 

Percentage of Improvement

Maximum Impact of Skill Approach on Employee 

Skills Preparedness

Percentage of Improvement

Maximum Impact of Skill Approach on 

Discretionary Effort

Percentage of Improvement

n = 6,510 employees

Source: 2020 Gartner Shifting Skills Survey for Employees

Note: See Appendix for additional methodology details.

n = 6,510 employees

Source: 2020 Gartner Shifting Skills Survey for Employees

n = 6,510 employees

Source: 2020 Gartner Shifting Skills Survey for Employees

n = 6,510 employees

Source: 2020 Gartner Shifting Skills Survey for Employees

Reactive

Predictive

Dynamic

4.5%

-10.3%

24.4%

-20

0

20

40

5.1%

-13.6%

27.2%

-20

0

20

40

Reactive Predictive Dynamic

Reactive

Predictive

Dynamic

Reactive

Predictive

Dynamic

40
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Building a Dynamic Skills Organization

1

Skills Sensing 

Network

2

Targeted Skill 

Accelerators

3

Two-Way Skill 

Transparency

Lloyds’ Skill-Based 

Action Planning

CVS Health’s Performance-Driving 

Learning Moments

Schlumberger’s 

Skill Backpacks

New York Life’s Skills 

Advisory Board

Eastman’s Internal Data 

Science Team Development

EY’s Personalized 

Role Transformation

Gartner’s Skill 

Disseminators

Unilever’s Open

Talent Economy 

41
© 2020 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 720773

Prepare Dynamic Systems, Stop Trying to Predict Skills

42
Q & A 

43
Thank You for Joining Us!

Upcoming Webinar: “The Credentialing Economy and What It Means for Cybersecurity Skills”

When: Tuesday, January 19, 2021, 2:00PM-3:00PM EST

Register: 

https://nist-nice.adobeconnect.com/webinarjan2021/event/registration.html

nist.gov/nice/webinars

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