Cyber Ready Workforce Act

Cyber Ready Workforce Act

This bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants to workforce intermediaries (entities that facilitate the establishment of registered apprenticeship programs and that may partner with a business or community-based organization, or specified other partners) to support the creation, implementation, and expansion of such programs in cybersecurity.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6791 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6791

To establish a grant program within the Department of Labor to support 
       the creation, implementation, and expansion of registered 
               apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 12, 2018

  Ms. Rosen (for herself, Mr. Donovan, Ms. Stefanik, and Mr. Moulton) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                      Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a grant program within the Department of Labor to support 
       the creation, implementation, and expansion of registered 
               apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Cyber Ready Workforce Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to Georgetown University's Center on 
        Education and the Workforce, by 2020, the United States is 
        projected to experience a shortage of 5,000,000 workers with 
        postsecondary education or training, including vocational 
        certificates and apprenticeship training.
            (2) Registered apprenticeships strengthen the Nation's 
        economy, create pathways to good-paying careers, and help meet 
        the Nation's current workforce demands.
            (3) Apprenticeships can help fill the Nation's workforce 
        needs, including in fields not traditionally linked to 
        apprenticeships, such as cybersecurity.
            (4) The cybersecurity field has a severe shortage in 
        talent, with over 300,000 job openings today, according to 
        CyberSeek, an interactive cybersecurity jobs heat map funded by 
        the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards 
        and Technology (NIST).
            (5) Employers, especially in cybersecurity and information 
        technology fields, may be unfamiliar with the apprenticeship 
        model or do not have the capacity or resources to develop and 
        implement their own training.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act, the following definitions apply:
            (1) The term ``registered apprenticeship program'' means a 
        program registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly 
        known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 50 Stat. 664, 
        chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.).
            (2) The term ``workforce intermediary'' means an entity 
        that--
                    (A) facilitates the establishment of registered 
                apprenticeship programs; and
                    (B) may be a partnership that includes one or more 
                of the following as partners:
                            (i) A business or industry organization.
                            (ii) A community-based organization, as 
                        defined in section 3201(2) of the Elementary 
                        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                        7801).
                            (iii) State workforce development board or 
                        local workforce development board, as defined 
                        in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
                        Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
                            (iv) A postsecondary education institution 
                        with experience in developing and administering 
                        registered apprenticeship programs.
                            (v) A joint labor-management partnership.
                            (vi) An institution of higher education, as 
                        defined in section 101(a) of the Higher 
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
                            (vii) A nonprofit organization.

SEC. 4. CYBERSECURITY APPRENTICESHIP GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor shall award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to workforce intermediaries, to support the 
creation, implementation, and expansion of registered apprenticeship 
programs in cybersecurity.
    (b) Description of Programs Eligible.--Registered apprenticeship 
programs in cybersecurity shall include technical instruction, 
workplace training, and industry-recognized certification in 
cybersecurity. Programs shall--
            (1) include certifications in CompTIA Network+, CompTIA A+ 
        Hardware, CompTIA A+ Software, Security+, Microsoft Windows 10 
        Technician, Microsoft Certified System Administrator, Certified 
        Network Defender, Certified Ethical Hacker, or other industry-
        recognized certification in cybersecurity;
            (2) encourage stackable and portable credentials; and
            (3) lead to occupations such as computer support 
        specialists, cybersecurity support technicians, computer 
        programmers, computer systems analysts, or security 
        specialists.

SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) Required Activities.--A workforce intermediary receiving funds 
under this Act shall use at least 75 percent of the grant funds for the 
following:
            (1) Development and technical support.--Complete the 
        apprenticeship registration process with the Department of 
        Labor, and help employers with other logistical and technical 
        issues.
            (2) Employer partnership.--
                    (A) Develop curricula and technical instruction for 
                the registered apprenticeship program in cooperation 
                with local businesses, organizations, and employer-
                partners, referencing the work roles and tasks outlined 
                in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education 
                (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework Special 
                Publication 800-181 to develop skills and standards for 
                the program.
                    (B) Assist employer in paying for the cost of 
                offsite training provided to apprentices.
                    (C) Connect the business with education and 
                training providers to complement on-the-job learning.
            (3) Support services for apprentices.--Provide support 
        services to apprentices to assist with their success in the 
        registered apprenticeship program, which may include the 
        following:
                    (A) Career counseling.
                    (B) Mentorship.
                    (C) Assisting with costs of transportation, 
                housing, and child care services.
    (b) Allowable Activities.--A workforce intermediary receiving funds 
under this Act may use up to 25 percent of the grant funds for the 
following outreach and marketing:
            (1) Market apprenticeships and the apprenticeship model to 
        employers, secondary school administrators, and counselors.
            (2) Recruit and conduct outreach to potential apprentices, 
        including secondary school students, underrepresented 
        populations (such as women and minorities), youth, and 
        veterans.
                                 <all>