The cybersecurity workforce crisis is no longer a looming threat—it’s here. With more than half a million unfilled cyber-related roles in the U.S., the shortage has become a national security concern as much as a talent issue.
Enter CYBER.ORG, the academic arm of the Cyber Innovation Center, which today kicked off a six-week cybersecurity workforce development pilot in Washington, D.C., aiming to help solve this urgent problem where it begins: in the classroom.
Running from June 23 through August 1, the program partners with Ballou High School, Cesar Chavez Public Charter School, and Archbishop Carroll Private School to deliver an intensive, hands-on curriculum in cyber defense, coding, and threat mitigation. Students also gain exposure to career certifications and postsecondary education pathways—critical stepping stones toward full-time roles in a severely understaffed industry.
“What begins this summer is just the first step in a longer journey,” said Charlene Cooper, interim executive director of CYBER.ORG.
Cyber Starts in the Classroom
Unlike one-off bootcamps or workshops, CYBER.ORG’s program is designed to scale and adapt. The goal? Build a reproducible model that can jump from urban D.C. to rural districts, giving all students—not just those in tech hubs—a shot at cybersecurity careers.
More than 514,000 cyber-related job listings were posted between May 2024 and April 2025, yet only 74% of roles are currently filled, according to recent workforce data. That’s a red flag for every industry—finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure.
“These programs play a key role in enhancing the city’s capacity to build a diverse and skilled talent pipeline,” said William A. Liggins, director of the D.C. Revenue Bond Program.
His department supports educational investments across D.C. and has shown increasing interest in cyber and technical training as part of the city’s broader economic development strategy.
Real-World Training, Real Career Impact
What makes the CYBER.ORG pilot stand out is its integration with existing city programs. Most of the participating students are also enrolled in the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), giving them the opportunity to earn while they learn.
Several students have already committed to continuing cybersecurity coursework this fall under the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathways Program for school credit in the 2025–2026 academic year—a sign that the pilot is already generating long-term traction.
The curriculum leans into practical training, offering students real-world cybersecurity scenarios instead of textbook-only learning. It’s a model that not only builds skills but introduces career confidence—something often missing from early technical education.
Building a District-Wide Model
CYBER.ORG is working with local leaders, workforce groups, and elected officials to track the program’s impact and build a blueprint for future expansion. That includes plans to integrate cybersecurity modules into the regular school year, beyond just summer programming.
And the appetite is there.
“Early demand has already exceeded expectations,” Cooper said, noting that communities across the country are asking for similar programs.
The initiative echoes other recent pushes to embed cybersecurity earlier in the academic pipeline—from NSA-sponsored high school cyber bootcamps to Google’s investment in K-12 AI education. But CYBER.ORG’s public-private-local hybrid model offers a uniquely sustainable path forward, grounded in regional collaboration.
Power Tomorrow’s Intelligence — Build It with TechEdgeAI.
