DoD unveils 2023-2027 CWF Strategy Implementation Plan, addresses talent gap, fosters future cyber workforce
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) released this week its 2023-2027 Cyber Workforce (CWF) Strategy Implementation Plan that directly addresses the department’s cyber talent gap and puts in place the necessary initiatives to cultivate the future cyber workforce. The CWF Strategy Implementation Plan document will assist the department in advancing talent management initiatives for a more diverse and effective cyber workforce.
The CWF Strategy Implementation Plan will assist the department in advancing talent management initiatives aimed at fostering an agile, flexible, and responsive cyber workforce. The Implementation Plan sets the foundation for how the department will execute the 22 objectives and 38 initiatives aligned with the four goals in the CWF Strategy. The Implementation Plan has been designed to be agile, flexible, and responsive, empowering the department to adapt and fulfill mission requirements within the evolving cyber domain.
The Implementation Plan document serves as a supplement to the CWF Strategy, which extends up to 2027. Its purpose is to ensure the goals and objectives outlined in the CWF Strategy are achieved. The department assesses that to realize the success of these goals and objectives, activities outlined within must be measurable and monitored with continuous feedback. DoD components will continue to build and improve action planning efforts to achieve the goals and objectives in the CWF Strategy.
“Maintaining a highly skilled cyber workforce is vital to protecting our Nation against global cyber threats,” John Sherman, DoD chief information officer, said in a media statement. “This Implementation Plan covers how the Department will take progressive measures to cultivate a workforce that is flexible and responsive in an ever-changing cyber domain.”
“Our goal is to ensure we are not only finding and hiring a diverse group of highly skilled cyber professionals but also develop the tools, resources, and partnerships required to continue growing these individuals,” Patrick Johnson, director of workforce innovation directorate, said.
The DoD CIO, in collaboration with other Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Component heads; the Joint Staff; U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM); and the military services, released the 2023–2027 DoD CWF Strategy in March this year, to ensure the DoD deploys an agile, capable and ready cyber workforce. The strategy utilizes four human capital pillars—Identification, Recruitment, Development, and Retention—to identify and group cyber workforce challenges.
Successful execution of the DoD CWF strategy will achieve consistent capability assessment and analysis processes, ensuring that the force stays ahead of its needs. Additionally, it will establish an enterprise-wide talent management program to align force capabilities with current and future requirements more effectively and facilitate a cultural shift to optimize personnel management activities across the entire department. It also looks at fostering collaboration and partnerships to enhance capability development, operational effectiveness, and career-broadening experiences.
Ahead of that in February, the department rolled out the DoD Manual (DoDM) 8140.03 Cyberspace Workforce Qualification & Management Program, the third issuance of the DoD 8140 policy series. The Cyber Workforce Qualification Program modernizes DoD talent management, allowing for more targeted and flexible approaches within the cyber human capital lifecycle.
The Implementation Plan will help-bound activities and assist the Department in support of the four human capital pillars and the management of a more diverse and effective cyber workforce. To realize the success of the Implementation Plan, the activities outlined within must be measurable and monitored on a recurring basis. In support of this objective, a series of activities, milestones, and key performance indicators (KPIs) are identified to measure progress and assess program effectiveness.
The Implementation Plan sets the framework to execute initiatives in support of the goals and objectives of the CWF Strategy. Action planning efforts will focus on detailed plans to achieve the initiatives. After the publication of this Implementation Plan, the DoD Offices of Primary Responsibility (OPR) and Offices of Coordinating Responsibility (OCR), confirmed as part of the coordination of the Implementation Plan, will work together to develop plans for how they will achieve the initiatives. These OPRs and OCRs are responsible for developing, coordinating, and executing action plans after publication of this Implementation Plan to aid the department in reaching the objectives and goals of the CWF Strategy.
The Action Planning Timeline outlines the activities and timelines associated with executing the Implementation Plan. 30 days after the publication of the Implementation Plan, the delegated OPR/OCR offices are identified. Following that, 60 to 75 days later, the OPRs establish action planning groups; 90 days later, initial action plans are submitted to the DoD; 120 days later Implementation Plan progress working groups; and 270 days later quarterly updates are provided to the Cyber Workforce Management Board (CWMB).
The document said that while this Implementation Plan sets out the plan to achieve the priorities set by the CWF Strategy, the real work to achieve that success will occur during action planning. “Within 90 days of the publication of the Implementation Plan, OPRs and OCRs must provide their action plans to DoD CIO for review and approval.”
It added that OPRs and OCRs can reference the ‘Initiative and Pillar Crosswalk’ to identify the pillars assigned initiatives directly impact. Organizations can reference the ‘Action Planning Template’ during action planning sessions to ensure that plans examine and monitor similar criteria across efforts.
Furthermore, DoD CIO will meet with OPRs and OCRs on a regular basis (e.g., monthly, bi-monthly) to discuss action planning progress, identify dependencies and prepare for reporting requirements. Select OPRs and OCRs will then provide their progress on a quarterly basis to the CWMB based on a predefined schedule.
The Biden-Harris administration introduced earlier this week the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy (NCWES), a comprehensive approach to address immediate and long-term cyber workforce needs. The strategy aims to fill hundreds of thousands of cyber job vacancies, preparing the nation for the digital economy and empowering Americans to participate in the digital ecosystem. Coordinated by the Office of the National Cyber Director, the Administration’s implementation of this Strategy is already underway.
Last month, the U.S. administration announced a roadmap called the National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan (NCSIP) to ensure transparency and a continued path for coordination to realize its March National Cybersecurity Strategy. The plan details over 65 high-impact federal initiatives, from protecting American jobs by combating cybercrimes to building a skilled cyber workforce equipped to excel in an increasingly digital economy.
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