§2.CISA education and training programs and resources
This section establishes a new section 1334 in subtitle D of title XIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 directing the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to implement, not later than one year after enactment, the Providing Individuals Various Opportunities for Technical Training to Build a Skills-Based Cyber Workforce Program (PIVOTT Program). Under the program, CISA must partner with community colleges, technical schools, and other institutions of higher education offering two-year programs (participating institutions) to deliver cyber and cyber-relevant (i.e., operational technology, critical infrastructure, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, security awareness, or computer science) education, training, internships, and post-graduation federal job opportunities.
Eligible students include (1) those enrolled in but not yet started, or in their first semester of, a two-year cyber or cyber-relevant associate’s degree or comparable technical certification at a participating institution; (2) individuals identified by CISA as eligible for such programs, such as career changers or high school graduates; and (3) those in shorter technical certifications at participating institutions aligned with tasks, knowledge, and skills in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework and preparing for government cyber roles.
Participating students receive full scholarships from CISA covering tuition, academic and lab fees, travel, lodging, per diem, stipends, internship costs, virtual participation, certification testing, and expenses for one in-person skills-based exercise (i.e., condensed one-day-or-longer program emphasizing practice). Students completing the program incur a two-year service obligation in a NICE or Department of Defense Cyber Workforce Framework cyber or cyber-relevant role in an executive agency or state, local, tribal, or territorial government, except for those who have completed an equal term of Armed Forces service.