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National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) 

Community Coordinating Council 

Project Charter:

Career Pathways and Credentials Project

[January 23, 2022]

Project Team Lead(s): Jeff Grann and Mark Beaudry

Table of Contents

1. Project Team Description.................................................................................................................2

2. Project Team Purpose ......................................................................................................................2

Summary (the Elevator Pitch)...............................................................................................................2

Statement of Purpose ...........................................................................................................................2

Scope.....................................................................................................................................................3

3. Project Team Objectives ..................................................................................................................3

4. Project Team Deliverables...............................................................................................................3

5. Timeline for Project Development ..................................................................................................4

References....................................................................................................................................................5
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1. Project Team Description

The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) is part of the National Institute

of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce, and is a 

partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused on 

cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development.

This project, led by the NICE Promote Career Discovery Working Group, aligns with the NICE 

Strategic Plan’s Implementation Plan Goal 1 to Promote the Discovery of Cybersecurity Careers 

and Multiple Pathways. The project team will focus on the NICE Implementation Plan Goal 1, 

Objective 1.2. Objective 1.2 centers on increasing the understanding of multiple learning pathways 

and credentials that lead to careers that are identified in the Workforce Framework for 

Cybersecurity (NICE Framework). 

2. Project Team Purpose

Summary (the Elevator Pitch)

“Many do not understand the multiple careers or learning pathways to enter the cybersecurity 

workforce. This project’s purpose is to increase understanding of the multiple learning pathways 

and credentials that may lead to a cybersecurity career identified in the NICE Framework.”

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this project team is to advise and assist in the development of one part of a larger

report to identify multiple career pathways for cybersecurity work roles that can be used in the 

private and public sectors. The report will be submitted to Congress by June 2022. This resource 

will ensure that the multiple cybersecurity career pathways identified indicate the knowledge, 

skills, and abilities, including relevant education, training, internships, apprenticeships, 

certifications, and other experiences, that align with employers' cybersecurity skill needs, 

including proficiency level requirements, for its workforce; and prepare an individual to be 

successful in entering or advancing in a cybersecurity career.

There are multiple career pathway options in the cybersecurity workforce and there are multiple 

learning pathways to gain the knowledge, skills or competency areas needed for cybersecurity 

careers identified in the NICE Framework. Some may obtain an industry-recognized credential 

such as a certification, academic degree, or certificate of completion. Others might take some 

classes offered in high schools, colleges, and universities, or through training providers. Some 

educational credentials come from community, technical, or vocational programs, while others are 

gained through four-year programs; some continuing to complete graduate or professional degrees. 

Industry-recognized certifications, on the job learning, workplace experiences, self-paced 

learning, competitions, apprenticeship, internship, and externship programs are additional learning 

pathway options. The purpose of this project team is to increase understanding of the multiple 

learning pathways and credentials that may lead to a cybersecurity career identified in the NICE 

Framework.
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Scope

The scope of this project will address Objective 1.2 of the NICE Implementation Plan, namely, to 

increase understanding of multiple learning pathways and credentials that lead to careers that are 

identified in the Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework). Within Objective 

1.2, there are four strategies that support meeting this objective:

1.2.1 Identify and track multiple learning pathways and credentials aligned to the NICE 

Framework Work Roles and Competencies 

1.2.2 Identify and develop tools and resources that promote learning pathways and 

credentials aligned to NICE Framework Work Roles and Competencies 

1.2.3 Share messaging to attract, develop, and retain talent and relay the innumerable and 

varied career options in cybersecurity 

1.2.4 Collaborate and support alignment of the NICE Framework Work Roles and 

Competencies with career tools and resources

This project will focus on Strategy 1.2.1. Tools and resources that promote pathways and 

credentials (Strategy 1.2.2) may be referenced but only to the extent that their inclusion does not 

take away from the objective of identifying multiple learning and career pathways and credentials.

This project will examine relationships between starting points, pathway options, credential 

options, and cybersecurity work roles. Specific “step-by-step” guidelines for entry into each of the 

52 NICE Work Roles is not within the scope of this work. 

3. Project Team Objectives

The project will identify multiple learning and career pathways for cybersecurity work roles that 

can be used in the private and public sectors, assuring inclusion of all components of the WIOA 

Career Pathways Definition. Additionally, the project will identify multiple credentials that lead 

to careers that are identified in the NICE Framework. The project team will assure alignment with 

other working group projects that are indicating the knowledge, skills, and abilities, including 

proficiency level requirements, that prepare an individual to be successful in entering or advancing 

in a cybersecurity career. The project team will also garner expertise from the NICE K12, 

Competitions, and Apprenticeship Community of Interest groups. 

Additionally, the project should provide opportunities to review resources and existing approaches 

to existing examples of cybersecurity learning and career pathways, and lessons learned from other

disciplines. 

4. Project Team Deliverables

Identify multiple learning pathways aligned to the NICE Framework Work Roles and 

Competencies 

Identify credentials aligned to the NICE Framework Work Roles and Competencies 
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Provide guidance on how to align multiple learning and career pathways and credentials 

with cybersecurity work roles that can be used in the private and public sectors, assuring 

inclusion of all components of the WIOA Career Pathways Definition. 

5. Timeline for Project Development

January 17-18, 2022 Submit draft charter to NICE and the Careers Working Group 

(WG)

January 19, 2022 Project Plan is discussed by WG

January 26, 2022

January 19- Feb.16, 2022

Feb. 16 - March 16, 2022

April 1, 2022

Project Plan is approved and “official” project launch

Sprint 1 complete (pathways)

Sprint 2 complete (credentials)

Draft Deliverable for inclusion in formal report
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References 

1. The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Strategic Plan https://www.nist.gov/itl/appliedcybersecurity/nice/about/strategic-plan

2. NICE Implementation Plan 

https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2021/09/23/Implementation%20Plan_22Sep2021.p

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3. Careers Working Group Implementation Plan strategies and indicators of success evergreen 

document Objectives_strategies_actions_indicators_121521.docx - Google Docs