United States electric co-ops are working to develop their cybersecurity workforce to protect against cyberattacks, but more needs to be done to attract the necessary talent, an electric co-op CEO told a House of Representatives committee on 5 February.
Chris Jones made his comments on behalf of his co-op Middle Tennessee Electric, as well as the apex organisation National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (NRECA), to a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing entitled “Preparing the Pipeline: Examining the State of America’s Cyber Workforce”.
Electric co-ops support some of the nation’s most critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, and emergency services, said Jones, as well as providing power to more than 150 military facilities and installations in the United States.
Cyber threats jeopardise electric reliability and pose a significant risk to the nation’s safety, security, and economic wellbeing, he added, and while steps are being taken to mitigate these risks, electric co-ops face significant challenges when it comes to developing a robust cybersecurity talent pool.
“Electric co-operatives struggle for cyber professionals against more competitive salaries and benefits offered by larger urban based firms. It is also often difficult to attract skilled talent to rural areas because of a perceived lack of professional development or career progression opportunities”, said Jones.
In response to these challenges, co-ops are increasingly focused on building local talent through partnerships with educational institutions, as well as co-ops co-operating to share tools, equipment, and expertise across shared systems.
NRECA is also working to build professional and mentoring networks, training opportunities, and events, such as NRECA’s annual Co-op Cyber Tech conference, which brings together co-op cybersecurity experts to share knowledge and skills.
“While electric co-operatives are making smart investments and building strategic partnerships to develop our cyber professionals, more work needs to be done,” Jones said.
In his statement, Jones welcomed chairman Mark Green’s bill, the Cyber PIVOTT Act, in particular language that would expand cybersecurity internship opportunities to electric co-ops in rural communities.
“Creating a talent pipeline that includes pathways into rural areas will foster a local skilled cybersecurity workforce to safeguard critical infrastructure in these regions”, he said.
“Initiatives like those in the Cyber PIVOTT Act bring much-needed focus to the cyber workforce needs of rural America … Co-ops and our rural communities have a lot to offer in protecting America’s critical infrastructure.”
