H.R. 7885: Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act

H.R. 7885, the Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act, would create a pilot grant program run by the Secretary of Education no later than 1 year after enactment. The goal is narrow and workforce-focused: improve the cybersecurity skills of people who operate critical infrastructure technology by building postsecondary career and technical education programs that blend technical training with cyber defense. Congress authorizes $10,000,000 for the effort, and no single grant could exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year.

The bill is structured to force education providers and employers to work together. An eligible partnership must include 1 postsecondary educational institution and 2 or more public or private employers in a critical infrastructure sector with demonstrated workforce needs in the same region. That means schools cannot apply alone. The Secretary of Education also has to consult with the Secretary of Labor, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, which signals that the program is meant to line up education policy with labor demand, cyber standards, and homeland security needs.

The application rules are detailed and job-centered. Applicants must spell out partner roles, identify the targeted critical infrastructure sector and in-demand occupations, analyze workforce needs, and show alignment with the NIST National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, or its successor. Programs also must include a capstone project, assessment, or other demonstration of skills for completion; describe work-based learning opportunities; provide pathways to recognized postsecondary credentials and employment; explain how the curriculum will be updated every year for sector-specific threats; and include both a sustainability plan after grant funding ends and a strategy to promote diversity.

The bill also builds in accountability. Grant recipients would report annually on how they used funds, how many students earned recognized postsecondary credentials, and what share of participants entered unsubsidized employment in an in-demand occupation in the targeted sector after leaving the program. Those student results must be broken out by subgroups listed in 20 U.S.C. 6311(c)(2)(B) and by special populations, including individuals with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, English learners, homeless individuals, foster care youth, single parents, people preparing for non-traditional fields, out-of-workforce individuals, and children of active-duty Armed Forces members. Grants also must be awarded to partnerships in different regions, so the pilot is intended to spread beyond one state or one industry cluster.