Time to act on cybercrime

There are estimates that the global economic impact of cybercrime is around $300-$400 billion annually.

And on a recent trip to Silicon Valley, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter highlighted that a recent intrusion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff network is just the latest example of the complexity of global threats we face and how crucial a modern, cyber-ready armed forces is to meet those threats.

Lawmakers at the federal and state levels are seeking legislative solutions to address cybersecurity challenges, and corporate America is investing heavily in new technology to counter external threats. While it is important that congressional leaders and the administration cooperate to secure government systems and ensure that malicious hackers are held accountable for their actions, we must also ensure we have the skilled workforce to do the work.

Atrion CEO Tim Hebert recently was honored to have the opportunity as a guest of U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I., to attend President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address.

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In his speech, the president touched on the need for Americans to have greater access to education and training in order to land good-paying jobs. This is vital to the technology industry, as companies struggle every day to find qualified talent to fill open positions.

One of the larger cyberthreats we face in this country is a deficit in highly skilled workers to secure our critical IT systems and track down the bad actors around the globe.

In an effort to fill the pipeline of qualified workers and encourage advancement in the cybersecurity field, both CompTIA and Atrion have been supportive of apprentice programs.

CompTIA has been working closely with both its membership and the government to support IT training and job-placement programs that help unemployed and under-employed individuals gain their first jobs in the tech fields.

Atrion, a CompTIA member, launched its “IT Apprenticeship Program” almost eight years ago and has become a leader not only in Rhode Island but the nation in combating the IT talent deficit.

We must be proactive in the creation of a highly skilled workforce starting now. With a sufficient number of highly trained workers, we can effectively protect our personal data, intellectual property, networks, infrastructure, military technology, country and, most importantly, the American way of life. •

Todd Thibodeaux is president and CEO of CompTIA. Tim Hebert is CEO of Atrion.

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