2021 NCyTE Summit

Presented by Stephen D. Miller
(NCyTE & Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso)

The cybersecurity work roles are continually changing to meet the needs of the public and private sectors. Community colleges play a key role in meeting these changes in a timely matter. In my fifty-five years’ experience in the Information Technology (IT) workforce as an IT professional, manager, and educator, it has become apparent how community colleges are a powerful resource that address not only entry level jobs but incumbent worker and employer needs, multi-discipline career changing training, and veteran pathways in cybersecurity. The NIST/NICE Framework currently lists fifty-two work roles that cover the seven workforce categories. CyberSeek has five common cybersecurity feeder roles, and there are many other security roles and job titles that can be found online by searching “cybersecurity work roles”.

This paper will cover a study of how community colleges currently and in the future will meet the student and employer requirements for cybersecurity work roles, tasks and knowledge, skills, and abilities. The study will capture key topic information with interviews from NIST/NICE leaders, industry representatives, faculty, and student and graduate interviews. The information will include both the multi-disciplinary nature of cybersecurity and the specialization of cybersecurity work roles. The study will provide answers and best practices addressing the challenges community colleges face today and will face in the future in quality curriculum and programs to provide a productive cybersecurity workforce. This includes what types of resources, funding, and support would provide the greatest impact for success.

Mr. Miller has been in the Information Systems Profession since 1966 working in business, government, and education sectors. He has a M.S. MIS Managing Computer Technology from Houston Baptist University, B.S./Business Information Systems Services with (Phi Kappa Phi honors) from the University of Houston – Downtown, and Organizational Management for Improving Organizational Effectiveness Post Graduate Certificate from The Office of Executive Development, Rice University.Mr. Miller is currently a tenured Professor, Subject Matter Expert. and Director for Information Systems/Cyber Security Center of Excellence, where he is responsible for developing Information Systems Curriculum, SCADA, Cyber Security program development, research, and teaching. He is also President of BITS Consulting since 2002, providing Information Technology, SCADA, and Computer/Network Security consulting using tools like CSET 8.1, Business Process Re-Engineering ITIL Service Management Tool Kit.

Mr. Miller is retired from Exxon Mobil Global Information Systems where he served in management, supervisory and technical roles over his 27 year career, and 13 years with Exxon Pipeline Company. He has been employed at Ford TechRep Division (programmer), U.S. Army 1st Calvary Div. in Vietnam (computer specialist), and Univac Corp. – NASA Mission Control on the APOLLO—including APOLLO 13, and Skylab Missions (Communications and Telemetry Systems Analyst), TRW Controls (Project Manager), United Way of the Coastal Bend (Community Services Director), and self- employed Consulting Company.

Mr. Miller has served or is serving as a member/leader of the following organizations Energy Telecom & Electrical Association, Chairperson Exxon Leadership 2000 Mentor Program & Science and Math Ambassador, Phi Kappa Phi active member, and Gartner Group Quality Study Group. Mr. Miller is a past board member of Albuquerque InfraGard National Infrastructure Protection and current member of InfraGard Houston, InfraGard Oil & Gas, a contributor for the National Institute Cybersecurity Studies and National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE). Past and current activities include the NIST workshops for the Cybersecurity Critical Infrastructure Framework standards, and recently coauthored a n e-textbook “Framework for SCADA Cybersecurity” ISBN: 9781310309960. Working with George Mason University in developing a Cybersecurity course for Whatcom Community College and NCyTE Center based on the Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience: The Cyber Dimension course. Mr. Miller is also a presenter for many Cybersecurity conferences throughout the United States.