As cybersecurity threats and attacks continue to increase, the State of Indiana is introducing the Cyberseek Indiana online resource to promote and support job growth in the emerging industry of cybersecurity.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is partnering with the Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program (P-CAP), Burning Glass Technologies and CompTIA to help close the cybersecurity skills gap in Indiana.

Visitors to the Cyberseek site will find a variety of useful information about supply and demand in the cybersecurity job market, heat maps showing locations of jobs and apprenticeships, and contacts for training providers. The data is geared toward employers, educators and students, with the goal of filling current open positions and growing the cybersecurity workforce in Indiana. According to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), there are currently 20,549 cybersecurity job openings in Indiana.

“The need for a skilled cybersecurity professional workforce is at an all-time high,” said Dr. Marcus Rogers, executive director of the P-CAP program. “Increasingly, U.S. companies of all sizes are being targeted for attacks, with the resultant cost to the economy in the billions of dollars. Programs like Cyberseek and P-CAP are vital components in preparing the workforce to fill the need for these cybersecurity professionals today and tomorrow.”

Cybersecurity workers protect the nation’s most important and private information, from bank accounts to sensitive military communications. However, there is a dangerous shortage of cybersecurity workers in the United States that puts the nation’s digital privacy and infrastructure at risk.

“The cybersecurity talent shortage is a global challenge requiring local solutions,” said Will Markow, managing director of Burning Glass Technologies. “No two communities have the exact same cyber workforce needs, but you can’t address those needs if you don’t know what they are. Cyberseek Indiana was developed to arm individuals, employers, and educators with the data and tools necessary to prepare for the unique blend of cybersecurity jobs and skills required in every community across Indiana.”

As part of the state’s mission to help provide a skilled workforce, DWD fully supports cybersecurity programs such as P-CAP.

“Understanding Indiana’s job demand for cybersecurity professionals who have the right skills, education, and training has been a key area of focus for our agency as well as Governor Holcomb’s Executive Council on Cybersecurity,” said Jeff Tucker, DWD’s chief information officer. “By partnering with Burning Glass, CompTIA and Purdue, we are excited to deliver a tool that can improve our understanding of our cybersecurity workforce and talent pipeline. This tool further demonstrates Indiana’s commitment to combatting cybercrime. We can see the trends, we can see the shifts in skills needed to combat cyberattacks, and we can offer potential pathways for individuals looking to skill up in the most efficient way possible.”

Learn more about cybersecurity opportunities and training at: www.cyberseekin.org.

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About the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
DWD serves the worker and the employer to ensure workplace success. DWD is committed to innovating and invigorating Indiana’s economic future by providing WorkOne Career Centers, Unemployment Insurance, Labor Market Information, Regional Workforce Strategies and Professional Training. Through these services, DWD is able to develop a premier workforce that enables Indiana employers to flourish and entices businesses from outside our state to relocate to Indiana.

About Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program
P-CAP was developed in response to the federal government’s desire to fill an industry need of more than 500,000 cybersecurity jobs nationwide. A U.S. Department of Labor Education and Training Award granted to Purdue Polytechnic Institute has tasked Purdue University with providing a path to higher education, certifications and cybersecurity on-the-job-learning through apprenticeships to at least 5,000 apprentices by 2023. For more information, visit www.purdue.edu/pcap.

About Burning Glass Technologies
Burning Glass Technologies delivers job market analytics that empower employers, workers, and educators to make data-driven decisions. The company’s artificial intelligence technology analyzes hundreds of millions of job postings and real-life career transitions to provide insight into labor market patterns. This real-time strategic intelligence offers crucial insights, such as which jobs are most in demand, the specific skills employers need, and the career directions that offer the highest potential for workers.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world’s leading vendor-neutral IT certifying body with nearly 2.7 million certifications earned through rigorous, performance-based exams. CompTIA sets the standard for preparing entry-level candidates through expert-level professionals to succeed at all stages of their career in technology. Through CompTIA’s philanthropic arm, CompTIA develops innovative on-ramps and career pathways to expand opportunities to populations that traditionally have been under-represented in the information technology workforce. For more information, visit www.comptia.org.