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Microsoft’s Plan to Shore Up The Cybersecurity Workforce 

Microsoft will work to cut the shortage of cybersecurity workers in half by 2025, according to CNBC.

The plan: “The company announced it will provide a free curriculum to community colleges across the country, provide training for faculty at 150 community colleges and give scholarships and resources to 25,000 students as part of the effort.”

The need: According to Microsoft’s data, one cybersecurity job in the United States remains open for about every two that are filled, leaving a significant hole in America’s cybersecurity efforts. In addition, one in 20 of all the jobs that are available in the United States requires cybersecurity skills.

A boon for diverse workforces: Microsoft also believes that the plan will help to bring more diverse individuals into the cybersecurity industry. Right now, about four-fifths of cybersecurity jobs in the United States are held by men, and a similar proportion are held by White people.

Another reason for Creators Wanted: Microsoft has also supported the NAM and The Manufacturing Institute’s Creators Wanted campaign , through which students and emerging workers continue to learn—in person and online—how many related careers are tied to manufacturing and how they can pursue them. One goal of the campaign is to recruit, by 2025, 600,000 new manufacturers. Watch this video to see one way the campaign is making an impact.

And a related pitch: Good cybersecurity is critical for any organization. To help manufacturers protect themselves, the NAM created NAM Cyber Cover, a risk-mitigation and cyber-insurance program that helps manufacturers detect and cover any vulnerabilities. Check it out  here.

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