Cyber Ready Workforce Act
Bill: H.R.6588 | Sponsor: Rep. Lee, Susie (D-NV)
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Cyber Ready Workforce Act
This bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants to workforce intermediaries (entities that facilitate the establishment of registered apprenticeship programs and that may partner with a business or community-based organization, or specified other partners) to support the establishment, implementation, and expansion of such programs in cybersecurity.

To establish a grant program within the Department of Labor to support 
       the creation, implementation, and expansion of registered 
               apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cyber Ready Workforce Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to projections from Georgetown University's 
        Center on Education and the Workforce, the United States was 
        already set to experience a shortage of 5,000,000 workers with 
        postsecondary education or training, including training leading 
        to vocational certificates and apprenticeship training, by 
        2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this problem.
            (2) Registered apprenticeships strengthen the Nation's 
        economy, create pathways to good-paying careers, and help meet 
        the Nation's current workforce demands.
            (3) Apprenticeships can help fill the Nation's workforce 
        needs, including in fields not traditionally linked to 
        apprenticeships, such as cybersecurity.
            (4) The cybersecurity field has a severe shortage in 
        talent, with over 597,000 job openings today, according to 
        CyberSeek, an interactive cybersecurity jobs heat map funded by 
        the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards 
        and Technology (NIST).
            (5) Employers, especially in cybersecurity and information 
        technology fields, may be unfamiliar with the apprenticeship 
        model or do not have the capacity or resources to develop and 
        implement their own training.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term 
        ``registered apprenticeship program'' means a program 
        registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as 
        the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
            (2) Workforce intermediary.--The term ``workforce 
        intermediary'' means an entity that facilitates the 
        establishment of registered apprenticeship programs, and may be 
        a partnership that includes one or more of the following as 
        partners:
                    (A) A business or industry organization.
                    (B) A community-based organization, as defined in 
                section 3201(5) of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(5)).
                    (C) A State or local workforce development board, 
                as such terms are defined in section 3 of the Workforce 
                Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
                    (D) A postsecondary education institution with 
                experience in developing and administering registered 
                apprenticeship programs.
                    (E) A joint labor-management partnership.
                    (F) An institution of higher education, as defined 
                in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
                (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
                    (G) A nonprofit organization.

SEC. 4. CYBERSECURITY APPRENTICESHIP GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor shall award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to workforce intermediaries, to support the 
establishment, implementation, and expansion of registered 
apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity.
    (b) Description of Programs Eligible.--For purposes of subsection 
(a), registered apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity shall include 
technical instruction, workplace training, and industry-recognized 
certification in cybersecurity. Programs shall--
            (1) include certifications in CompTIA Network+, CompTIA A+, 
        CompTIA Security+, Microsoft Windows 10 Technician, Microsoft 
        Certified System Administrator, Certified Network Defender, 
        Certified Ethical Hacker, ISACA Cybersecurity Nexus (CSX), 
        (ISC)\2\'s Certified Information Systems Security Professional 
        (CISSP), or other industry-recognized certification in 
        cybersecurity;
            (2) encourage stackable and portable credentials; and
            (3) lead to occupations such as computer support 
        specialists, cybersecurity support technicians, cloud computing 
        architects, computer programmers, computer systems analysts, or 
        security specialists.

SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) Required Activities.--A workforce intermediary shall use at 
least 85 percent of the amount of grant funds received under this Act 
for the following:
            (1) Development and technical support.--Complete the 
        apprenticeship registration process with the Department of 
        Labor, and assist employers with other logistical and technical 
        issues.
            (2) Employer partnership.--
                    (A) In general.--Develop curricula and technical 
                instruction for the registered apprenticeship program 
                in cooperation with local businesses, organizations, 
                and employer-partners, referencing the work roles and 
                tasks outlined in the National Initiative for 
                Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce 
                Framework Special Publication 800-181 to develop skills 
                and standards for the program.
                    (B) Offsite training.--Assist employers in paying 
                for the cost of offsite training and acquiring course 
                materials provided to apprentices.
                    (C) Connecting employers.--Connect employers with 
                education and training providers to complement on-the-
                job learning.
            (3) Support services for apprentices.--Provide support 
        services to apprentices to assist with their success in the 
        registered apprenticeship program, which may include the 
        following:
                    (A) Career counseling.
                    (B) Mentorship.
                    (C) Assisting with costs of transportation, 
                housing, and child care services.
    (b) Allowable Activities.--A workforce intermediary may use up to 
15 percent of the amount of grant funds received under this Act for the 
following outreach and marketing activities:
            (1) Market apprenticeships and the apprenticeship model to 
        employers, secondary school administrators, and counselors.
            (2) Recruit and conduct outreach to potential apprentices, 
        including secondary school students, underrepresented 
        populations (such as women and minorities), youth, and 
        veterans.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated, such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
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