Microsoft plans to cut the United States' cybersecurity workforce shortage in half by 2025 by pouring resources into training programs, according to an Oct. 28 blog post from company President Brad Smith.
Four things to know:
- There are 464,2000 open cybersecurity jobs in the U.S., according to the blog. Microsoft plans to train 250,000 cyber workers by providing free resources through partnerships with community colleges.
- As part of a four-year campaign, Microsoft will make its cybersecurity curriculum free to all public U.S. community colleges. The company also will provide training for new and existing faculty at 150 community colleges as well as provide scholarships to 25,000 students.
- The tech giant is choosing to partner with community colleges because there are 1,044 nationwide, which means they provide ample opportunity to address the workforce shortage in every state. Community colleges are flexible with enrollment statuses, so the offerings are accessible to a range of students, from those who are fresh out of high school to those taking classes part-time while holding other jobs.
- Community colleges present an opportunity to diversify the cybersecurity workforce, according to the blog post. Forty percent of community college students are Black or Hispanic, 20 percent have disabilities, 5 percent are veterans and 29 percent are their family's first generation to attend college.