This March we are excited to celebrate Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Month! NICCS is dedicated to helping create a qualified, diverse cyber workforce by providing tools, resources, and information to users who are interested in entering and succeeding in cybersecurity.
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines often exhibit gender disparities as individuals get older and pursue various career opportunities. For example, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, although girl students in U.S. high schools constitute 61% of AP biology, 52% of AP statistics, and 50% of AP chemistry students, they represent only 23% of AP computer science and 29% of AP physics students.
Graphic: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31371423/
NICCS hosts a variety of resources that can help encourage girls and young women to get involved in cybersecurity and computer science. Did you know there are over 300 colleges and universities across the country with designated cybersecurity degree programs? Many of those offers scholarships as well – $27,000 for undergraduate degrees and $37,000 for graduate degrees.
Ready to learn more about specific cybersecurity work roles? Check out 20 cyber career profiles with information on salary ranges, project job growth percentages, common job duties, and recommended soft skills. CISA and other federal government agencies also host and sponsor a variety of cybersecurity competitions & games that are fun, interacting, and engaging!
Below are additional details about CISA partnerships and their assisted efforts helping to advance women and girls in STEM.
- Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA): CISA actively works with GSUSA to bridge the gender gap in cybersecurity. This includes activities like offering 18 cybersecurity badges, hosting Cyber Awareness Challenges in partnership with Cyber.org, and participating in triennial Girl Scout Conventions.
- Girls Who Code: CISA began working with Girls Who Code in 2021 to create new pathways for girls and women to pursue cyber and technology careers through training, advocacy, and collaborative opportunities. Recently, the organizations partnered during Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October 2023 to encourage girls and young women to stay safe online through a social media campaign featuring amazing women in cybersecurity.
- Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS): In 2023, CISA and WiCyS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to raise awareness of careers in the cybersecurity industry, while also building the next generation of women in cybersecurity. Through this partnership, CISA will participate in the WiCyS mentorship program and join the organization in its efforts to close the gender gap in cybersecurity. Connect with CISA at the 2024 WiCyS Conference on April 11-13, 2024, in Nashville, TN!
For more information, be sure to sign up for our quarterly newsletter or email us at NICCS@hq.dhs.gov.