How NICCS Supports Cybersecurity Workforce Development
With more than 514,000 open cybersecurity positions in the U.S. alone and more than 4.8 million open positions worldwide, now is the time to further explore how the tools and resources on NICCS can help build, strengthen, and support your organization’s cybersecurity workforce in today’s challenging landscape. These tools address many of the findings from the 2026 SANS GIAC Cybersecurity Workforce Research Report including using a workforce framework, reducing skills gaps, building career paths, and more. Learn more about how organizations can use NICCS below.
Create job roles based on a workforce framework to maintain structure and consistency in hiring. The 2026 SANS GIAC Cybersecurity Workforce Research Report shared that Workforce Framework adoption by organizations grew by 10% in one year to 56%, demonstrating an increase in organizations moving away from ad hoc job role structuring for cybersecurity. The NICE Framework Mapping Tool helps companies understand how each of their cyber positions align to the NICE Framework. Use the Mapping Tool to inventory your cyber workforce, begin workforce planning, determine what skills and training your team needs, and build tailored job role positions aligned to the NICE Framework.
Reduce skills gaps. According to the 2026 SANS GIAC Cybersecurity Workforce Research Report, 60% of organizations polled reported skills gaps as their primary workforce challenges; this number increased eight points from 2025. The Education & Training Catalog can be used by organizations to help employees find cybersecurity-related training courses that build the knowledge and skills needed to reduce these gaps.
Help employees identify and build career paths to assist with career progression. The report also shared that unclear career progression is a significant growing challenge for organizations when hiring cyber talent. To communicate better-defined career progression opportunities, use the Cyber Career Pathways Tool to help employees understand cybersecurity career paths, develop skills, build knowledge, and gain experience. Organizations can also download the Cybersecurity Career & Training Guide PDF to help cyber staff create cybersecurity development and training plans that identify job tracks, pinpoint areas for growth, and discover training and professional development opportunities.
In today’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, organizations must leverage available tools and re cyber workforces. By addressing skills gaps, establishing clear career paths, and aligning job roles to the NICE Framework, companies can address cybersecurity workforce development challenges and strengthen support for their employees
Questions about how to use NICCS for workforce development? Please reach out to us at NICCS@cisa.dhs.gov
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Last Published Date: July 22, 2026
