Cyber has its day (courtesy of NSA)

October 22, 2015 | By

Energy awareness has its month (this month, actually) and, now, Cyber has its day.

Credit: CyberMaryland

The National Security Agency (NSA) has announced Day of Cyber, designed to raise the national IQ for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and cyber careers. The NSA Day of Cyber brings together leading educators, nonprofits, students and business leaders to premiere a new online Cyber Education Experience.

STEM education is a national priority and the explosive growth of cyber-related careers has created an unprecedented opportunity for the next generation of cyber defenders. By bringing cyber into the classroom this October 29th during National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the program seeks to connect students with these opportunities in schools and colleges across the country.

The experience, referred to as "LifeJourney," is free online, developed for schools, universities and organizations to enable students from any background to understand and explore one of the fastest growing STEM career fields in the country.  Students across the United States can test drive their future "online" by living a day in the life of six NSA cyber professionals.  The NSA Day of Cyber LifeJourney provides educators a ready to use tool to bring Cybersecurity into their classrooms and connect students to their future.

"Bringing more young minds to the field of cybersecurity is exceedingly important to our nation right now," said David Brumley, director of Carnegie Mellon's CyLab and associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University, which is also an NSA Day of Cyber sponsor.

The NSA Day of Cyber experience will allow students to explore what it means to be a cyber professional, spurring student interest across the U.S. and helping to fill the pipeline for companies and government agencies searching for talent.

"Reports show that there are [hundreds of thousands] of unfilled STEM jobs in Cyber.  Cyber skills are in high demand in banking, communications, law, transportation, healthcare, e-commerce, Mobile, social media and numerous others," said Rick Geritz, CEO of LifeJourney. "The challenge for the nation is that the lack of awareness of what these jobs are and what skills students need to pursue them."

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