Accomplishments

NICE Strategic Plan | NICE Framework | NICE Community | Multimedia, Reports, and Publications | Events 

NICE Strategic Plan

The 2021-2025 NICE Strategic Plan outlined the vision, mission, values, goals, and objectives for both the NICE Program Office and the greater NICE community. It was supported by an Implementation Plan developed by the NICE Community Coordinating Council. A summary of the 2021-2025 NICE Strategic Plan activities has been published.

The 2021-2025 NICE Strategic Plan provided a strong foundation for NICE to build on into the future. The NICE Program Office will release its 2026-2030 Strategic Plan in 2026, and will work closely with the NICE community and with cyber workforce stakeholders to pursue goals outlined in that plan.

NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework)

• Launched NICE Framework Components versions 2.0.0 (March 2025) and 2.1.0 (December 2025) following public comment periods.
  • New and updated Work Roles: Cybercrime Investigation (updated), Digital Evidence Analysis (updated), Insider Threat Analysis (updated), and OT Cybersecurity Engineering (new).
• Published proposed updates to NICE Framework Components (draft v2.2.0) in December 2025:
  • New Work Roles: Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management, Learning Program Management, and Risk Management.
  • Updated Competency Areas: Cryptography and DevSecOps.
• NIST collaborations including: publication of the NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Corner guide, “Building Your Small Business’ Cybersecurity Team: From In-House to Outsourcing”; updated crosswalk between NICE Framework and Cybersecurity Framework;, and two public drafts of SP 1308 (Cybersecurity, Enterprise Risk Management, and Workforce Management Quick-Start Guide).
• NICE Framework Users Group: Six meetings on topics including skills data infrastructure, human-cyber integration, regional economic development, and international frameworks collaboration.
• NICE Framework Resource Center traffic: ~35,800 annual visitors, up 19 percent from 2024. New user count increased over 15 percent from 2024.
• Collaborated with SANS/GIAC in the development of 2025 workforce survey and report on how the HR and Cybersecurity Managers work roles can collaborate effectively to build, develop, and retain high-performing cybersecurity teams.

CyberSeek 

In 2025, CyberSeek accomplished the following:

• Relaunch to include:
  • A new creative look and enhanced user experience
  • New data estimates of the global cybersecurity workforce
  • Incorporation of new data quantifying the presence of AI skill requirements in cybersecurity job listings
• Annual data refresh occurred on June 2, 2025, along with corresponding updates to NICE Framework mapping
• Creation of a new video featuring industry experts sharing their insights and cyber career guidance
• Release of 2025 CyberSeek impact review
• Release of 2025 CyberSeek infographic visualizing key statistics and platform capabilities

NICE Community

Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) Community

NIST-NICE announced 17 new cooperative agreements totaling more than $3 million aimed at building the workforce needed to safeguard enterprises from cybersecurity risks. The grants of roughly $200,000 each will go to 17 education and community organizations in 13 states that are working to address the nation’s shortage of skilled cybersecurity employees. View the Fall 2025 Award Announcement.

US Cyber Games

• Launch of Season V
• Season V US Cyber Open
• Held Draft Day

NICE Community Coordinating Council

The NICE Community Coordinating Council (NICE Community) has been established to provide a mechanism in which public and private sector participants can develop concepts, design strategies, and pursue actions that advance cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. The NICE Community Coordinating Council is comprised of three Working Groups and four Community of Interest groups.

The NICE Program Office held 5 monthly meetings (January, March, June, September, December). The NICE Community reached 1,960 members in 2025. 

Project Team: Issues Contributing to Talent Retention – Why People Leave and Why People Stay (view deliverable)
 

Project Team: Multiple Career Pathways for Cybersecurity Project Team (view deliverable)

Project Team: Effective Practices to Identify, Track, and Measure Cybersecurity Career Discovery Programs

Project Team: Galvanizing Employers to Promoter Work-Based Learning Experiences

Project Team: Unlocking Untapped Cybersecurity Potential through Faith-Based Organization and Alternative Education Pathway Ecosystems
 

Project Team: Learning and Employment Records

Communities of Interest

Communities of Interest (COIs) are constituent or topical groups designated, reviewed, and renewed annually by the NICE Leadership Team to address specific needs within the cybersecurity ecosystem. These groups focus on critical pillars of workforce growth: expanding Cybersecurity Apprenticeships, empowering Career Ambassadors to inspire the next generation, advancing K12 Cybersecurity Education, and supporting NICE Framework Users in implementing national standards. These communities offer a space for participants to develop concepts, design strategies, and pursue collective actions that build a skilled cybersecurity workforce.

• Apprenticeships in Cybersecurity (468 members)
• Cybersecurity Career Ambassadors (470 members)
• K12 Cybersecurity Education (373 members)
• NICE Framework Users (426 members)

NICE Interagency Coordinating Council

The NICE Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) convenes federal government partners for consultation, communication, and coordination of programs, projects, and initiatives that are focused on cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development to grow and sustain the Nation’s cybersecurity workforce. The NICE Interagency Coordinating Council convened in January and December of 2025. For additional information please visit here.

Multimedia, Reports and Publications 

Publications

Credit: NICE Community

Empowering Organizations to Retain Skilled Cybersecurity Talent for Long-Term Success White Paper

Options for Entering the Cybersecurity Workforce Flier

Blogs

• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Cybersecurity Workforce (June 12, 2025)
  Author: Karen Wetzel
• A NICE Nine Years and Counting: NICE RAMPS Communities Keep Expanding Opportunities in Cybersecurity Work and Learning (July 7, 2025)
  Author: Michael Prebil
• Retrospective on Shaping Cybersecurity’s Future (December 2, 2025)
  Author: Rodney Petersen 

Podcasts

• Outgoing NIST cyber workforce director talks job roles, skills-based hiring, and AI (December 29, 2025)
  Featuring: Rodney Petersen

Videos

• Bridge the cybersecurity experience gap with Matthew Dobbs & Karen Wetzel (Jul 31, 2025)
  Featuring: Karen Wetzel

• Cybersecurity Today TV - Ep 71 - Reflections on the Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Ecosystem (December 2, 2025)
  Featuring: Karen Wetzel

Web-based Multimedia 

• Building Your Small Business’ Cybersecurity Team: From In-House to Outsourcing (November 2025)
  Collaboration between the NICE Program Office and NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Corner 

Events

Events Calendar 

• NICE Webinar Series: The Privacy Workforce Evolves and Matures (January 15, 2025)
• University-Based Cybersecurity Clinics: Educating the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Leaders While Safeguarding Small Businesses (February 6, 2025)
• Federal Information Security Educators (FISSEA) Winter Forum (February 11, 2025)
• Local Stakeholders’ Engagement Event (March 07, 2025)
• NICE Webinar Series: Climbing Higher: Preview of the 2025 NICE Conference & Expo (April 16, 2025)
• Federal Information Security Educators (FISSEA) Spring Forum (May 13, 2025)
• Applicant’s Webinar: 2025 NICE RAMPS Funding Opportunity (May 14, 2025)
• 16th Annual NICE Conference (June 1-3, 2025)
• NICE Webinar Series: Building Cybersecurity Skills Through Work-Based Learning Experiences (August 27, 2025)
• Federal Information Security Educators (FISSEA) Fall Forum (September 30, 2025)
• NICE Webinar Series: Mental Health in Focus - Managing Burnout and Finding Balance in Cybersecurity Work (December 3, 2025)
• 11th Annual NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference (December 8-9, 2025)

Exhibits and Displays

• Cybercorps: Scholarships for Service (SFS) Career Fair
• 15th Annual NICE Conference & Expo
• National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair
• US Cyber Games Draft Day
• 11th Annual NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference

View the 2025 NICE Performance Plan