Sponsors (2)
Official title: Authorize the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to establish an apprenticeship program and to establish a pilot program on cybersecurity training for veterans and members of the Armed Forces transitioning to civilian life, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 22, 2026 by Margaret Wood Hassan · Last progress July 22, 2026
The bill expands federal cybersecurity hiring, apprenticeships, and credentialed training—potentially strengthening government cyber defenses and creating job pathways for students, veterans, and underrepresented groups—while imposing new costs, limited program scale/duration, and implementation risks that may reduce protections or exclude smaller providers.
Federal agencies (and the federal cybersecurity workforce) would gain expanded hiring and training capacity, improving government ability to detect and respond to cyberattacks.
Students, young adults, veterans, and military spouses would gain clearer, direct pathways (registered apprenticeships and training pilots) into federal cybersecurity jobs and related careers.
Participants would earn recognized postsecondary credentials (and coursework that can count toward associate/bachelor degrees) aligned with the NIST NICE framework, increasing employability inside and outside government.
Taxpayers would likely face additional costs to stand up, staff, and maintain these hiring, apprenticeship, and pilot programs.
Programs are limited in scale and duration (small participant caps and five‑year sunsets), meaning benefits would be concentrated, short‑term, and uncertain unless renewed or scaled up.
Expanding federal recruitment could intensify competition with private employers for scarce cybersecurity talent, making it harder and more expensive for businesses (especially small firms) to hire.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a no-cost cybersecurity apprenticeship and training pilot that awards recognized credentials, aligns with the NIST NICE framework, and creates Federal work-based learning pathways.
Creates a federal pilot apprenticeship and training program to expand the cybersecurity workforce, with a particular focus on veterans, service members, and eligible students. The program requires no-cost training that leads to recognized postsecondary credentials, aligns with the NIST NICE framework, includes virtual and hands-on learning, and promotes Federal work-based learning pathways to qualify participants for Federal cybersecurity jobs. Also sets definitions and eligible education providers, requires interagency coordination (DOL, VA, DoD, DHS, NIST, OPM), and amends language in the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act to change how that law’s assessment requirements are framed.