Washington, DC (PRWEB) December 08, 2015 -- The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) today announced it would host its inaugural National Conference at the historic Washington Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C. on March 23-24, 2016.
ICMCP’s landmark event will elevate the national dialogue on the very necessary strategic, tactical and operational imperatives needed to attract and develop minority cybersecurity practitioners. The Conference will focus on the public, private, academic and legislative components necessary for engineering the pipeline of diverse practitioners critical to addressing the cross-industry cybersecurity skills shortage .
During the 1 ½ day conference, attendees will:
• Interact with key legislators championing cybersecurity workforce Bills
• Engage very senior thought leaders from industry, government and academia
• Network with security luminaries and peer practitioners from various industry verticals
• Interact with cutting-edge security vendors
• Attend professional development workshops
• Explore career paths in cybersecurity
• Learn about scholarships and internship opportunities
According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), women comprise only 29% of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce despite making up 48% of the US professional workforce. Specifically, according to various studies including research from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC2), women comprise only 10% of the cybersecurity workforce. Similarly, minorities are grossly underrepresented with African Americans and Hispanics combined representing less than 11% of the cybersecurity workforce.
“Cybersecurity has never been more important to the national and the economic security of our nation than it is today. It is imperative that our academic institutions at all levels, as well as our public and private sector leaders explore all untapped or under-tapped sources, to bring diverse talents and perspectives to bear on the ever evolving and increasingly sophisticated threats from cyberspace threats ” said Veda Woods, ICMCP’s Executive Director. “As the need for cybersecurity professionals continues to outpace our nation’s cybersecurity workforce it is critical that we create more opportunities for women and majority minority groups to fill these positions. The national conference is the first major step towards protecting what is becoming the frontline in the war to protect our nation’s critical infrastructure.”
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
WHEN: March 23–24, 2016
WHO: Cybersecurity Executives, Cybersecurity Professionals, Exhibitors, Students, and Aspiring Practitioners
WHERE: The Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Cir, NW Washington, DC 2015
For more information on the National Conference and sponsorships please contact: nationalconference(at)icmcp(dot)org
To receive updates on the conference please contact us: https://icmcp.org/save-the-date/
About ICMCP
The ICMCP is a volunteer-led 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Launched in 2014, the ICMCP is working to bridge the gap in the cybersecurity sector by providing scholarship opportunities, technical training programs, innovative outreach, mentoring and networking programs targeting women and minority cybersecurity professionals worldwide and by promoting academic and technical excellence in the industry.
The ICMCP held its first National Town Hall meeting during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October 2015 at the U.S. House of Representatives Rayburn House Office Building, Capitol Hill. To watch to the keynote from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeB88u0bNuc
Veda Woods, International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals, http://www.icmcp.org, +1 (800) 924-1458, [email protected]
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