Readout: Biden-Harris Administration Emphasizes Skills-Based Hiring and Work-Based Learning Opportunities on Service for America Tour in Minnesota
September 24, 2024
Deputy National Cyber Director (DNCD) Harry Wingo visited Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, where he highlighted the recently launched Service For America campaign. ONCD, OPM, and OMB are coordinating a recruiting, hiring, and engagement campaign, Service For America, with a goal to connect Americans to good-paying, meaningful jobs in cyber, tech, and AI.
DNCD Wingo began his trip to Minneapolis by attending the Retail and Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center (RH-ISAC) Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Forum, a gathering of CISOs and other cyber professionals held annually, focusing on the most pressing issues in the industry. He emphasized the importance of building and maintaining a cyber workforce in every industry and region by adopting best practices. He advocated for skills-based hiring, entry-level hiring, registered apprenticeships, paid internships, and other earn-while-you-learn practices. Implementing these best practices, instead of relying only on two- or four-year college degree requirements, opens opportunities to all Americans with the skills and drive to succeed. The Biden-Harris Administration is leading the path forward to skills-based hiring by recently announcing the plans to convert an entire series of technical employees that work in Federal Government.
DNCD Wingo visited the Metro State University’s Cyber Clinic in St. Paul. The university’s cyber clinic was awarded $1.45 million by the Federal Government to train students from diverse backgrounds and academic expertise with the goal of strengthening the digital defenses of non-profits, hospitals, municipalities, small businesses, and other under-resourced organizations in the St. Paul community. The visit offered an opportunity to hear directly from students, including veterans, first-generation college students, and upskilling educators, who are benefiting from the university’s cyber clinic as well as programs such as National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competitions in gaining real-world, hands-on cyber skills.
He met with the university’s leadership to better understand the importance of the cyber clinic model and other opportunities the school is exploring including through state, local, and Federal partnerships to expand its cyber clinic and supporting its students in becoming job ready. DNCD Wingo finished the visit with a discussion on the importance of Federal, state, local, and private sector partnerships with Metro State stakeholders, including Minnesota IT officials. He applauded the Metro State faculty and leadership’s close collaboration with state officials to garner Federal funds to aid the establishment of the cyber clinic, provide experiential learning opportunities for the students, and support the local Government and smaller organizations. This effort is a leading example of the Biden-Harris Administration’s objective to get more Americans into entry-level cyber jobs as part of its Service for America campaign.
