New Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce bill to promote inclusivity, provide CISA with millions for outreach

Two U.S. House Representatives introduced this week a bill aimed at creating a program within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to encourage underrepresented and disadvantaged communities to pursue careers in cybersecurity. Titled, ‘Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act,’ the bill requires the CISA to expand existing education and outreach activities and promote cybersecurity careers to a diverse audience and was introduced with 32 other cosponsors.

Led by Reps. Haley Stevens, a Democrat from Michigan, and Shontel Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, the Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act establishes a new diversity program at CISA that 180 days after enactment the Director of CISA shall establish a program to promote the cybersecurity field to diverse communities. The program shall be established within CISA’s Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program. 

Additionally, CISA shall conduct outreach to promote awareness of cybersecurity employment to educators, unions, chambers of commerce, workforce development officers, schools, and other institutions. The move aims to address that cybersecurity is necessary for the public and private sectors and is also a well-paying field. 

The new program created by the Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act is tasked with promoting the cybersecurity field to disadvantaged communities, older individuals, racial and ethnic minorities, women, people with disabilities, geographically diverse communities, socioeconomically diverse communities, individuals from nontraditional educational paths, veterans, and individuals who were formerly incarcerated.

The Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act authorizes $20 million annually to the Department of Homeland Security through 2030 to carry out the program. The legislation requires CISA to report to Congress annually on the efficacy of the program. 

“Bringing diversity to the cybersecurity workforce makes our country safer, our economy stronger, and our diverse communities more prosperous,” Brown said in a media statement. “There are hundreds of thousands of good-paying, American cybersecurity jobs that need to be filled, and we will only meet this need by encouraging a wider set of people to work in this growing field. We have a diverse country, and we need a cybersecurity workforce that reflects our people, bringing new ideas, backgrounds, and experiences to the table. 

She added that workforce diversity is essential to a strong, secure, shining nation that can protect us from a range of threats now and into the future. “I am proud to introduce this legislation with Congresswoman Stevens and look forward to building further support in Congress.”

“In order to ensure the security of our cyber infrastructure we need to have the best workforce possible and that means employing Americans of all backgrounds,” Stevens pointed out. “That’s why I am proud to co-lead the Cybersecurity Workforce Act with Rep. Shontel Brown which would empower CISA to increase recruitment of cybersecurity professionals from underrepresented communities. Connecting Americans with good jobs that also protect our security interests is a win for everyone.”

Earlier this month, the U.S. administration updated National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan (NCSIP) Version 2, outlining 100 high-impact initiatives to enhance digital security and systemic resilience. These initiatives build upon the previous NCSIP and align with the objectives of the National Cybersecurity Strategy. The roadmap reflects the challenges and opportunities identified in the 2024 Report on the nation’s cybersecurity posture.

Anna Ribeiro

Industrial Cyber News Editor. Anna Ribeiro is a freelance journalist with over 14 years of experience in the areas of security, data storage, virtualization and IoT.