• a NIST blog A lot has changed in America’s cybersecurity workforce development ecosystem since 2016: employment in cybersecurity occupations has grown by more than 300,000[1]; the number of information security degrees awarded annually has more than tripled to nearly 35,000[2]; and a wide array of new technologies and risks have emerged. • Five regional cybersecurity workforce partnerships supported by the 2016 RAMPS program pilot, administered by NIST’s NICE Program Office, have weathered the changes in cybersecurity and continue to anchor cybersecurity talent networks in their communities to this day. • RAMPS stands for ‘Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development.’ True to its name, NIST’s RAMPS community partnerships focus on organizing regional employers alongside education and training providers, government agencies, and community organizations to create onramps into cybersecurity careers that support learners pursuing in-demand cybersecurity work roles. • Starting Small (and Smart) in Cybersecurity Workforce Development In conversations reflecting on their work, representatives from each of the five pilot partnerships stressed the importance of RAMPS funding in lending credibility to their nascent workforce partnerships and gathering essential stakeholders. • Gretchen Bliss, formerly of Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) and now director of cybersecurity programs at the University of Colorado, Colorado Spring

Article Summaries:

  • NIST’s Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development (RAMPS) launched in 2016 to build local cybersecurity talent networks. Over nine years, the program has supported five regional partnerships that continue to thrive, linking employers, educational institutions, government agencies, and community groups. The initiative has helped expand high‑school dual‑enrollment programs, create internships and apprenticeships, and align curricula with industry skill gaps using the NICE Workforce Framework. As a result, U.S. cybersecurity employment has risen by more than 300,000 and annual information‑security degrees have tripled to nearly 35,000, underscoring RAMPS’ lasting impact on workforce development.

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