(ISC)² – the world's largest nonprofit membership association of certified cybersecurity professionals – today announced that John McCumber, director of cybersecurity advocacy, North America, has been selected as a co-chair for the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Training and Certifications (T&C) subworking group. McCumber replaces outgoing co-chair Linda Montgomery of the Cyber World Institute, who had served a two-year term, and he will lead the group in its ongoing efforts to support cyber resiliency for the nation.
The NICE Working Group was established to provide a mechanism by which public and private sector participants can develop concepts, design strategies and pursue actions that advance cybersecurity education, training and workforce development in line with the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Training and certification for the cybersecurity profession is of paramount importance considering recent (ISC)2 research which points to a global shortage of 2.93 million skilled cybersecurity professionals.
"What NIST has established with its NICE Working Group system is a powerful collaborative of public and private cybersecurity and policy experts who understand the realities of defending our nation," said McCumber. "I am honored to serve in the co-chair role and look forward to continued progress in working with our project teams to advance training and certification mapping and development in line with the NICE Framework."
The subworking group on T&C focuses on topics pertaining to the development and management of performance-based evaluation and training programs, capable of adapting to meet the nation's evolving cybersecurity needs. This sub-committee also explores mapping professional certifications to the NICE Framework. The group has identified three project teams that address certification framework development, examine skills-based training and performance-based certification programs, and determine methods for increasing the supply of cybersecurity professionals.
"The NICE T&C Working Group was designed to be a collaborative platform bringing together those in the public and private sectors to help develop best practices for performance-based evaluation and training programs, supporting a skilled and capable cybersecurity workforce for the nation," said Clarence Williams, Lead for Government Engagement supporting NICE. "John McCumber has a 360 degree view of cybersecurity thanks to decades of public and private sector experience as well as his current position in the nonprofit association world with (ISC)2, and the Training & Certifications group will be well-served by his leadership."
The group meets the first Wednesday of every month at 2:30 pm Eastern Standard Time. To learn more please visit: https://go.usa.gov/xE9tw
About (ISC)² Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, (ISC)² is an international nonprofit membership association focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®) certification, (ISC)² offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our membership, more than 140,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation – The Center for Cyber Safety and Education™. For more information on (ISC)², visit www.isc2.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
