Josh Sommers
Submitted by NIATEC
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and this week has been designated to bringing awareness to the next generation of “cyber leaders” regarding the opportunities that can be found in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
Today’s youth will eventually become the next generation of warriors of technology and information security. They will be required to suit up and arm themselves with weapons and defenses that only the latest technology and information can bring.
This modern war requires strategy and knowledge that takes years to understand and hone. Now is the time to recruit our youth and begin to teach them the skills they will need in order to protect our privacy and personal security.
Thousands of organizations’ main goal is to exploit vulnerabilities, or “hack.”
These organizations not only test our federal government’s defenses, but should also encourage typical citizens to think about their own security posture and plans in the case of an information attack.
These organizations and their actions threaten our personal information and privacy rights that we as a society hope, and deserve, to have.
So what is in store for the next generation? Technology advances at an increasingly high rate, which only hastens the need for information assurance professionals in our future. The next generation’s battles over information security will be far more complex than the struggles we face today.
Having recognized this, governments and corporations have begun to increase the demand for Information Assurance/Cyber Security professionals.
Some of the entities seeking these types of professionals include, but are not limited to, government intelligence, corporation security protecting vital research and development, and many facets of governments and small businesses.
Regardless of the organization or specific industry, Cyber Security professionals have become widely sought after in today’s day and age.
Given the pervasive nature of the profession, security professionals may have a focus in a variety of the different disciplines, including STEM fields.
The STEM fields are becoming increasingly popular and necessary in our society today to the point that there are numerous scholarships available from universities and various organizations and government agencies.
STEM careers and education have become so important that President Obama expanded part of the nation’s grant budget initially in 2012 to award block grants to states that helped improve education with STEM subjects.
Information Security professionals are needed in all these specializations and possibly more for the coming generations.
So what does the next generation need for the coming storms and how can those of us from this generation assist?
Preparation is the key. The training needs to begin now. We need academia to offer curriculum. We need awareness and promotion campaigns. The jobs are available. Businesses and government are willing to pay. It is imperative that we help encourage the next generation and help them to become interested candidates.
So how do we motivate the future generations to become interested in STEM careers?
Encourage them to take classes that fall under these criteria. Inspire them to become interested by relating these fields to their interests.
Inspire them to seek out tutorials online and at workshops. Help the youth find opportunities in STEM that could lead to exciting and interesting careers. By beginning to learn the basics of the STEM disciplines at a young age, they will be better prepared for high school, college and their future careers.
Security must keep up with the technology advancements. The next generation should not only anticipate incredible new technologies, but they should also be prepared to deal with the incredible new threats that can come from such technologies.
The National Information Assurance Training and Education Center (NIATEC) will be hosting a booth in the Rendezvous Complex on Wednesday, Oct. 16, and in the Student Union Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, Oct. 14, 15, and 17.
For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Month this October, visit www.isu.edu/security.
