Future of Work
Closing Skill and Talent Shortage Gaps in Cybersecurity
It’s all about co-creating.
In my role as the Head of Growth for the Black Women in Cybersecurity Initiative (BWiC), I led efforts to develop a unified vision for the national campaign and ensure that our corporate partners were involved in every stage of the initiative. This approach allowed us to execute a human-centered design that considered the needs, perspectives, and expectations of program participants and targeted employer partners.
One of the key aspects of my role was to prioritize engagement with experts, partners, and learners alike. To achieve this, I sought out partnerships with organizations such as Singularity University, EY, Udemy, Fortinet Institute, and IBM’s Cyber team. These partnerships allowed us to gain valuable insights into the evolving trends and skill demands in the cybersecurity field. We were able to use this information to ensure that the BWiC initiative provided participants with relevant career training that empowered them to become job-ready and strong contributors to the field.
Global Applicability
Overall, my approach involved using designed office hours to conduct research and gather insights from Black women in cybersecurity roles and seeking to transition into them to understand their experiences, challenges, and needs. I then created a three-pronged program structure focused on the Fundaments, Application, and Certification, which expanded participants' knowledge of cybersecurity concepts, practical application of those concepts, and prepared them for industry-standard certification exams.
Furthermore, I recognized the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for program participants. I championed the use of Slack, and mentorship and networking pairing to connect participants with established professionals in the field, which provided them with valuable guidance and support to assist in workforce transition. I also advocated for the use of a feedback mechanism to continually improve the program, so I could ensure that it remained relevant and effective. This helped our team to make necessary adjustments and improvements as we progressed.
Building the BWiC
Project Overview
Closing Skill and Talent Shortage Gaps in Cybersecurity
OHUB has launched a Cybersecurity Jobs Initiative for Black women in conjunction with the newly passed Cybersecurity Opportunity Act in the US Senate. The initiative aimed to address the underrepresentation of Black women in the cybersecurity industry and provide access to training, mentorship, and job placement opportunities. The program is supported by industry leaders and organizations such as IBM, The Links, Incorporate, and the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence. The initiative aligns with the Cybersecurity Opportunity Act, which aimed to improve the representation of minorities and women in the cybersecurity industry.
CLIENT
GET Cities
ROLE
Chief Growth Officer
LOCATION
Nationwide
TYPE
Future of Work
THE CHALLENGE
According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the global cost of cybercrime is expected to reach $6 trillion by the end of this year and $10.5 trillion by 2025. Despite companies boosting their digital security teams to stay safe online, there are still disproportionately fewer women and people of color in cybersecurity roles. In response to this challenge, OHUB was tapped to lead a cybersecurity jobs initiative specifically targeting Black women and women from other historically underrepresented backgrounds. This gave birth to "The Black Women in Cybersecurity Initiative (BWiC)," which promotes gender and racial equity in high-growth careers in the technology, startup, and venture ecosystem by working to increase the number of Black women in cybersecurity.
Value Created
Overall, my approach as the Head of Growth was centered on collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, with the ultimate goal of equipping Black women with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the cybersecurity industry. By using designed office hours to gather insights from those with experience in the field, creating a comprehensive program structure, prioritizing mentorship and networking, and continuously improving through feedback, the BWiC initiative became a successful national campaign for increasing diversity and representation in the cybersecurity industry. One that is still active today.
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