1 - WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 

Summary 

Careers in cybersecurity are some of the fastest growing and highest demand job opportunities 

available. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) groups cybersecurity specialists within the category of 

“Information Security Analysis, Web Developers, and Computer Network Architects”. The outlook for 

this group is promising. DOL expects 22 percent growth within the next decade, which is considered 

faster than average. Demand for information security analysts is expected by DOL to be “very high”. 

They justify this by pointing to the increased frequency and sophistication of cyber-attacks. Based on 

these expected workforce requirements, survey questions were formulated to understand the needs of 

different entities in Missouri. 

The survey questions developed for workforce development are the following: 

1. What are the strengths employers see in current cybersecurity professionals and what are the 

weaknesses that employers wish addressed? 

2. Would you utilize a cybersecurity institute in the state of Missouri that offered certifications for your 

employees? Would you find benefit if they offered directive communication for handling current 

threats, and networking opportunities with other businesses about cybersecurity? 

3. How much are internships/co-ops experience important before joining the workforce? Do the 

companies have internship/co-op programs? 

4. What are the preferred methods of educational/training delivery, i.e. distance streaming video, offline 

training, on campus training, site-specific courses, massive open online courses (MOOC)? 

5. Which security certifications do employers seek in a cybersecurity professional? How important are 

those certifications to employers? 

6. How can industry participate in competitions from K-12 to college? 

7. What programming languages are necessary in your workplace that are not being currently offered in 

the education system? 

Based on the survey results, discussions amongst subject matter experts, and guidance from other major 

organizations, the following gaps were identified with the recommendations. 

Gap #1: Centralized structure for educational outcomes 

Surveys and analysis by the team indicated there was a lack of cybersecurity awareness and available 

cybersecurity talent at all levels in many organizations. When talent is available, many organizations 

cannot afford dedicated cybersecurity professionals. 

Currently, cybersecurity in the classroom is still maturing. While there are some great higher education 

programs across the state, they vary in focus. This can be confusing for students who want to choose 

cybersecurity as a career, as well as for businesses in Missouri that hire cybersecurity professionals 

directly out of college. 

Academic Designations and Accreditations: Educational entities such as technical institutes, community 

colleges, four-year colleges, and research universities can provide Center for Academic Excellence 

standards as highlighted by the National Security Agency/Department of Homeland Security (NSA/DHS). 

These standards prescribe particular sets of topics on security and privacy that accredited institutions 

must deliver to specific audiences. The state currently has one Center of Academic Excellence in 

Information Assurance which functions at the graduate and professional continuing education level. The 

Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of ABET, Inc. is proposing to include cybersecurity as a 

specific part of the CAC Computer Science Program Criteria for four-year and above universities to 

follow who wish to be accredited. Apart from these, there is the cybersecurity education project that 

also attempts to frame an accreditation mechanism. 
Research: The state has one Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research with 

additional research activities at other universities focused on cybersecurity research. The research 

activities at these schools can result in outreach to support state cybersecurity needs through federal 

programs such as the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) which partner industry 

and government with research programs. It is difficult for industries to learn about research capabilities 

statewide and determine how this research capability can be used to assist specific cybersecurity issues. 

There are also few terminal degree granting universities in Missouri, which forces students to go to 

other terminal degree granting universities in other states. 

Recommendation: Cybersecurity Institute 

To address the gaps noted above, the establishment of a cybersecurity institute for the State of Missouri 

is proposed. This centralized body could serve as a partnership between education, industry and 

government to identify relevant training, research, information sharing activities and communication to 

help citizens identify relevant cybersecurity topics that people, businesses and organizations need. This 

institute thereby would act as a facilitator of cybersecurity related educational and workforce 

development endeavors between different entities within the State of Missouri. The different roles this 

institute would assume are: 

Academic Coordination: The institute would provide a clearing house and expertise for those 

institutions seeking cybersecurity designations and accreditation. This is a challenging task and the 

existing accredited institutions can provide assistance through the institute to share best practices and 

facilitate developing curriculum that meets national standards. 

Figure 3: Survey participants that would utilize cybersecurity institute.

Research Coordination: The institute would provide “one stop shopping” for businesses and 

governments seeking solutions to cybersecurity issues. Federal support can enhance state support 
through the Federal I/UCRC programs and others to bring together industry, education, and 

government. 

Research Funding: This proposed institute would become the conduit to fund cybersecurity research in 

the state. State and national funding for cybersecurity topics is critical for researchers within the state of 

Missouri. This institute can become the facilitator between public and private entities to encourage 

research for the most pressing topics that impact the State of Missouri. 

Scholarships: Another important role of such an institute would be to hand out scholarships to keep 

students in the state. This is an important undertaking since scholarships attract student’s interest and 

provide incentives for high-achieving students to stay in the state. The National Science Foundation 

Scholarship for Federal Service (SFS) is a program designed to encourage bright students to pursue 

education and enter government service (both state and federal). 

Career Services: This institute would also become a facilitator for industries that seek individuals to hire; 

everyone from interns to full-time hiring. Partnering with the Federal Office of Personnel Management 

(OPM), the SFS program virtually guarantees job placement. Apart from the different funding sources, 

state and national funding for cybersecurity topics is critical for researchers within the state of Missouri. 

This institute can become a facilitator between public and private entities to encourage research for the 

most pressing topics that impact the State of Missouri. 

Gap #2: K-12 educational short falls 

In today’s society, cybersecurity continues to be a growing concern. From the individual to corporate 

perspective we are all seeing an increase risk of intrusion. This risk has thrust cybersecurity into the 

forefront of available career opportunities. According to St. Louis Community College’s State of St. Louis 

STEM Workforce Report, in 2013 there were over 23,000 STEM jobs available, but only 2,000 jobseekers 

looking for those opportunities. It is also predicted that there will be over 1 million jobs available by the 

year 2020 to protect our nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure. 

A critical part of our success to fulfill future needs is by engaging the youth of today to become 

interested in STEM. There are many great examples of cities taking initiative, and their success has been 

found on two fronts, curriculum adoption and competition engagement. 

One of the important findings within our survey was the lack of trained personnel in cybersecurity. 

The educational standards for the state do not have any requirements for curriculum focused on 

computation. Currently the state is doing some level of participation in cybersecurity training. Several 

schools are currently participating in Project Lead the Way’s Computer Science program with some 

degree of success. The adoption rate has been high, but schools are experiencing some challenges to 

implement. 

 The cost may be prohibitive to some small and rural schools in the state. 

 The ownership of the teaching becomes hard due to instructors with little knowledge or 

background on the subject. 

 Many districts are categorizing cybersecurity curriculum into the business department. 

 It doesn’t align with the critical certifications employers are looking for when hiring. 

The need for educators holding degrees in computing is not one of the areas of acceptance by American 

Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE). The closest one comes to a computation related 

field of study is that of tech and engineering in the traditional route. The pipeline of educators teaching 

computing is therefore limited in the state. 

Recommendation: Modification of High School Curriculum 
Currently there are no guidelines for cybersecurity related studies within the K-12 system. It is therefore 

our recommendation that the State of Missouri and the Department of Elementary and Secondary 

Education (DESE) modify the curriculum to add cybersecurity related studies in the K-12 framework as 

has been accomplished by few other cities and states. In concurrence with the previous 

recommendation for creating a cybersecurity institute, the state can provide resources to partners who 

will advocate for furthering curriculum adoption and partnering with interested schools. The institute 

can work closely with DESE to ensure a minimum viable product will be created in which all schools can 

easily incorporate courses into their curriculum. We would also recommend collaborating with the 

Cyber Texas Foundation to provide subject matter expertise to the state. Their support will expedite the 

process. 

Recommendation: Cybersecurity studies specialization for teachers 

The lack of trained personnel teaching cybersecurity studies is a major gap and this requirement needs 

to be met to support the changes to the K-12 curriculum to incorporate cybersecurity studies. Currently 

no such specialization exists in the teacher training programs and degrees and hence our 

recommendation is to create a standalone specialization in cybersecurity studies to the educational 

training program. 

Gap #3: Importance of Internship Opportunities 

Internships offer numerous benefits to both the student and the offering organization. The student 

obtains real world, hands-on experience within cybersecurity, and in many cases, the intern will go on to 

work within the offering organization. In regards to the survey responses, 34 of the 48 responses 

indicated that internships and internship opportunities are important in their industry. However, there 

are not enough internship opportunities available for the demand. 

Figure 4: Survey participants' response to the importance of internships.

Recommendation: Centralized Internship Registry 
The State of Missouri should provide a centrally coordinated registry to connect cybersecurity internship 

opportunities with potential interns. 

Recommendation: Provide Private Sector 

Internship Incentives 

The State of Missouri should provide the private sector with incentives that encourage them to provide 

more internship opportunities, which would also be included in the state’s internship registry system. 

Gap #4 Industry Certifications 

Only 18 of the 48 responses indicated the importance of industry certifications. We feel this is an 

artificially low number considering the lack of private sector survey participants. Scanning daily job 

listings would indicate that the importance of industry-recognized certifications is much higher in reality. 

Recommendation: Provide Certification Cost Reimbursements 

The State of Missouri should provide cost reimbursements (in whole or partial) to those who obtain 

industry-recognized certifications in their field. This would encourage continued education, professional 

development, and adherence to the codes of ethics of the certification organizations. 

Gap #5: Competitions and Student interest 

Competitions provide students goals and necessary excitement which keeps them focused on a 

particular topic. Students typically spend time beyond classwork on the technical topics which foster 

learning that a typical coursework cannot provide. Competitions that require group interactions help 

students develop skills in group dynamics. Another outcome of such competitions is the technical 

writing that the student needs: from resume building to writing basic reports of incidents that they 

encountered during a competition. Within a curricular program, competitions have a symbiotic 

relationship that enables student to maintain interest and focus, allows faculty to interact with students 

as participants, and gives students the ability to hone their skills within a classroom environment. There 

are various competitions in which students at different levels can participate. Businesses understand the 

need of such competitions and they sponsor many of these initiatives. In addition, businesses recruit 

from the competitions.