2021-2025 NICE Strategic Plan Activities Summary

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. Below is a summary of activities and accomplishments in support of the plan.

NICE Strategic Plan Goal 1: Promote the Discovery of Cybersecurity Careers and Multiple Pathways

• Published the National K12 Cybersecurity Education Roadmap (December 2021).
• Held an event on How to Navigate an Unconventional Cybersecurity Career Path (October 2022).
• Launched a webpage for Cybersecurity Career Pathway Resources (January 2023).
• Launched the Cybersecurity Career Ambassador Program (October 2023) and Cybersecurity Career Ambassador Community of Interest (October 2023).
• Published information on Identifying Multiple Career Pathways to Build a Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce (May 2023) and Options for Entering the Cybersecurity Workforce (July 2025).
• Launched the Cybersecurity Career Ambassador Finder and curated Ambassador Resources.
• Developed a tip sheet for Exploring Cybersecurity in Your Local Community.
• Launched a Professional Learning Webinar Series.
• Developed a curated list of K12 Educational Resources.

NICE Strategic Plan Goal 2: Transform Learning to Build and Sustain a Diverse and Skilled Workforce

• Conducted an examination of current Learning and Employment Records (LER) market trends.
• Explored ways in which the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) and National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) can collaborate (Summer 2022).
• Documented methods to Upskill a Diverse 21st-Century Cybersecurity Workforce (June 2023) and Hire Adjunct Faculty Cyber From Industry (June 2023).
• Organized a community of interest on building and sustaining a diverse, inclusive, and skilled cybersecurity workforce (June 2023 – January 2025) and published a curated list of relevant resources (June 2023).
• Published several guides on cybersecurity competitions, including a Guide on Cyber Ranges (September 2023), information on How to Build and Run a Competition (September 2023), and a Guide to Cybersecurity Competitions for Competitors (September 2023).
• Published a green paper on The Landscape of Performance-Based Assessments in Cybersecurity (March 2024).
• Published a research paper, Help Wanted: Cybersecurity Educators (December 2024).
• Developed a handout with information on Hands-On Cybersecurity Experiences in K12.
• Published a curated list of cybersecurity competitions, including K12 cybersecurity competitions.

NICE Strategic Plan Goal 3: Modernize the Talent Management Process to Address Cybersecurity Skills Gaps

• Launched the Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program Finder (January 2022).
• Supported the Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint (July-November 2022).
• Published guidance on cybersecurity career-entry from the Employer Perspective on Hiring (November 2022) and the Job Seeker Perspective (November 2022) .
• Developed an Employer’s Guide to Writing Effective Cybersecurity Job Descriptions (September 2023).
• Published a white paper on Empowering Organizations to Retain Skilled Cybersecurity Talent for Long-Term Success (January 2025).

NICE Strategic Plan Goal #4: Expand Use of the Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework)

• Launched the NICE Framework Users Group (January 2021) to serve as a forum for discussion regarding use of the NICE Framework.
• Worked closely with the NIST Privacy Engineering Program to coauthor the Task Knowledge Skill (TKS) Statements Authoring Guide for Workforce Frameworks (April 2021).
• Introduced NICE Framework Competency Areas (June 2023) to the NICE Framework.
• Held an “NICE Framework Integrators Meeting” (February 2024) to focus NICE Framework integration challenges and opportunities.
• Completed a comprehensive review and major revision of the NICE Framework Components – including Work Role Categories, Work Roles, Competency Areas, and TKS statements – released as version 1.0.0 (March 2024)
• Created the NICE Framework Resource Center to document and disseminate information about the NICE Framework, including methods, resources, and tools shown to successfully expand use of the framework.
• Conducted NICE Framework mappings, including to CSF 2.0, for alignment when developing NICE Framework content.
• Established processes for ongoing NICE Framework updates and engagement.
• Created the Change Request FAQ to support public input to NICE Framework updates.
• Conducted ongoing NICE Framework updates and improvements, made available in multiple public comment periods and subsequent releases (v.2.0.0, v2.1.0). Includes three Work Role revisions, four new Work Roles, and four Competency Areas.
• Explored the impact of AI on the NICE Framework components, resulting in the June 2025 NIST Cybersecurity Insights blog, “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Cybersecurity Workforce.”
• Created a new NICE Framework Tools page on the NICE Framework Resource Library.

NICE Strategic Plan Goal 5: Drive Research on Effective Practices for Cybersecurity Workforce Development

• NICE collaborated with stakeholders to identify factors that influence the impact of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development.
• The annual NICE Conference and Expo annually highlighted issues impacting cybersecurity education and workforce.
• NICE education and learning activities addressed effective and proven learning practices across education, training, and workforce development settings
• RAMPS communities conducted research to inform their programs and curriculum design, foster continuous learning opportunities, impact learner success, and develop sustainable cybersecurity workforce pipelines.