Vice Premier Chang San-cheng today hosted a forum for 30 leading cybersecurity firms and Internet security media to discuss the nation's plans for training personnel in the field.
With the threat of cyber attacks becoming more severe by the day, the forum participants applauded efforts to cultivate a national workforce of online security professionals by linking resources across industrial, government, academic and research sectors.
To protect the public's digital lives while developing cybersecurity industries and guarding national security, the Executive Yuan's National Information and Communication Taskforce has designated an Awareness and Training Work Group to strengthen Taiwan's information security personnel training. As described in the National Strategy for Cybersecurity Development Program (2013-2016), the work group is headed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and collaborates with the Ministry of Science of Technology (MOST), the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), as well as businesses, universities and research institutes.
According to the MOE, the objective for Taiwan's information security personnel training plan is to build up both the quality and quantity of talent. This will be achieved on various levels, including cultivating elite professionals, promoting goal-oriented education, incorporating cybersecurity into information and communication courses, and deepening awareness and education on information security.
The Executive Yuan's Office of Information and Communication Security (OICS) said that the ministries plan to strengthen talent development by focusing on the following strategies:
1.Courses: The MOE will design courses that cover both technical and management aspects, including research-oriented and practical application topics. Industry professionals will be invited to help compile practical teaching materials and serve as teachers.
2.Platforms: The MOST will set up a multi-functional platform and coordinate software and equipment donations from businesses for use in teaching, internships and competitions.
3.Competitions: The MOEA and MOE will organize competitive activities to select and train teams for international contests. They will also join hands with cybersecurity groups and domestic contest organizers to hold international competitions.
4.Internships: The MOE will promote an internship-for-credit program and coordinate with businesses to offer real working environments where interns can learn practical skills.
5.Industry-academia cooperation: The MOST will promote industry-academia cooperation on cybersecurity topics that are most pertinent to businesses. Application-oriented key performance indicators will be created to promote collaboration among companies and schools.
The OICS added that information security industries will also join the effort by sponsoring, supporting or participating in many of the activities described above. These are all practical ways of cultivating Taiwan's talent pool and will help enhance citizens' well-being, facilitate industrial development and ensure national security.