Bridging the Generation Gap: Cyber Workforce Development Through STEM Outreach and Mentorship

The future of cybersecurity is defined by today’s workforce evolving and persisting through volatile threat landscapes. In order to facilitate this growth, the next generation of information technology (IT) and cybersecurity leaders must enter the field with diverse perspectives and fundamental understandings of computing. As industry professionals, we feel first-hand how gaps in the cybersecurity workforce affect the risk postures of the organizations we work for, and the intensity with which ourselves and our colleagues experience burnout. Instead of waiting for the next generation to find the cyber industry, this presentation showcases research that incorporates industry-led outreach and mentorship networks to bridge the gap between what is accessible through traditional career pathways, and what we need to develop and improve the cybersecurity community. Attendees will gain insights into concrete programming designed to address these challenges head-on. From paid high school internships to immersive job shadowing experiences, from extracurricular STEM club mentorship to interdisciplinary networking between students, educators, and industry professionals, we outline a comprehensive roadmap for nurturing talent and fostering community engagement. Together, we can bolster our collective resilience and ensure a vibrant future for cybersecurity.