#ICYMI - Monthly Meeting Recap

Credit: NICE

In case you missed it, the minutes from the January 23, 2024, NICE Community Coordinating Council meeting have been published. The meeting included speakers from SkillsFWD, the National Institute for Certification In Engineering Technologies (NICET), Opportunity @ Work, and more!

Take a look at some key highlights from our meeting:

Featured Content

Strategy Story
Madelyn Rahn from SkillsFWD shared an overview of the six grantees who are launching programs that make use of Learning and Employment Records (LERs). Each program will demonstrate how skills-based hiring and economic mobility can be enabled through LERs. 

Framework Feature
Michael Coleman from NICET spoke about the Systems Software Integrator (SSI) Certification Program. The Certification Program will provide a standard evaluation of knowledge and skills to measure competency on SSI. 

Community Progress Reports

The Modernize Talent Management Working Group has recently launched the “Issues Contributing to Talent Retention Why People Leave and Why People Stay” project team.

The NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference took place on December 4-5, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference sold out with over 550 attendees and featured several special activities, including the National Cyber Signing Day. 

The US Cyber Games is kicking off the Season III Pipeline Program, which will guide 42 athletes through a 4-month training program. 

Featured Topic

Blair Corcoran de Castillo from Opportunity@Work presented on the Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) Program. STARs are defined as skilled workers having a high school diploma, but not having a bachelor’s degree. 5,000 STARs are transitioning to cybersecurity jobs each year. The Network & Computer System Administrators work role is the most common pathway for STARs to move into cybersecurity. 

FEATURED MEMBER

NEW! To help bring visibility to the diverse pathways into a cybersecurity career, as well as create a stronger, more friendly community, each month we will feature a member from the NICE Community Coordinating Council. If you would like to be featured, please email us at nice [at] nist.gov (nice[at]nist[dot]gov). 

Credit: Tom Ashley

Tom Ashley

Education Strategist,
CDW Corporation

I am a first-generation college graduate who went to community college for an Associate’s degree in Computer Programming while concurrently signing up to serve in the Army Reserves. Upon obtaining my Associate's degree, I joined an ROTC program and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Business, then started as an apprentice at a computer service company. After a temporary departure from the company to fulfill military commitments, I returned to the company and took over operations. My family relocated due to my wife’s military commitments, so I found a new opportunity working with school districts. I spent over 25 years as a K12 Chief Technology Officer. During that time, I began to focus on cybersecurity and participated in and led state support groups helping to improve the security posture of school districts. I am now an Education Strategist at CDW where I help raise awareness, build, and support cybersecurity initiatives for districts across the country.

LEARN MORE

Join our next meeting on February 27, 2024, at 3:30-5pm ET

The NICE Community Coordinating Council meets monthly to engage with public and private sector participants on cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development topics. 

Additionally, the NICE Community Coordinating Council is comprised of three Working Groups and six Communities of Interest, each with their own meeting cadence.

Learn More