Cybersecurity Education and Training

Section 2220 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (codified as amended at 6 U.S.C. § 665f0) establishes the CETAP within CISA. The statutory purpose of CETAP is to support CISA’s efforts in building and strengthening a national cybersecurity workforce pipeline capacity through enabling elementary and secondary cybersecurity education. This includes providing foundational cybersecurity awareness and literacy, encouraging cybersecurity career exploration, and supporting the teaching of cybersecurity skills at the elementary and secondary education levels. To fund such cybersecurity and infrastructure security education and training programs and initiatives, Section 2220 authorizes CISA to provide financial assistance to eligible federal entities to carry out the statutory CETAP purposes and enhance CETAP to address the national shortfall of cybersecurity professionals. CISA awards financial assistance under the CETAP through cooperative agreements with non-profit organizations to develop cybersecurity curriculum and professional development opportunities for K-12 students, educators, administrators, and student caregivers and conduct outreach to increase cybersecurity awareness within that K-12 community. The objectives of CETAP financial assistance are to: (1) create cyber training pathways for K-12 students and educators by providing an adaptable cybersecurity curricular model; (2) promote awareness of national cybersecurity education opportunities; (3) develop partnerships and increase stakeholder engagement to maximize outreach efforts and the impact of cybersecurity education across the K-12 community; and (4) increase awareness of all CETAP tools and resources.