​​​​​​​Informing and Inspiring the Next Generation of Cyber Talent Through Competition  

Last week, U.S. Cyber Games^® began competition to identify and select the Season III, U.S. Cyber Team. Over the next few months, athletes aged 18-24 will compete in a series of events that will culminate with selecting the top cyber athletes in October for the Season III team to compete at the 2024 International Cybersecurity Challenge (ICC).I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the kickoff event for Season III, U.S. Cyber Open^®. 

CISA’s focus is on people, especially with helping to build a competent, resourceful and diverse cyber workforce. To solve the most complicated, technical problems facing our nation, we need diversity of thought and skill that can enable better problem-solving. This means partnering with organizations to create career pathways and provide resources and access to opportunities to pursue careers in cybersecurity.     

Founded by Katzcy, in cooperation with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the U.S. Cyber Games^® is one of our key partnerships to inspire and inform the next generation about pursing cybersecurity careers. Together, we not only identify and nurture the nation’s top cyber talent, but also reinforce the importance of cybersecurity in today’s evolving digital landscape.   

The next generation of cyber professionals play a critical role in helping to protect our nation and CISA is proud to be a founding sponsor of the U.S. Cyber Teams. This year, the Season II team will participate in various global scrimmages and the ICC in San Diego, Calif., on August 1-3. In 2022, Season I team, the first-ever U.S. Cyber Team, competed at the ICC in Athens, Greece and earned Bronze in the competition.   

I'm excited for the Season III games to commence and look forward to tracking the cyber athletes as they move through the competition for final team selection in October.