According to a federal government-wide survey of 50,000 supervisors and employees conducted in September 2010, the following are the 10 most important skills for an effective cybersecurity workforce: integrity/honesty, computer skills, technical competence, teamwork, attention to detail, interpersonal skills, communications security management, self-management ability, reading, and customer service. In the future, information assurance joins the list of top 10 skills, while reading drops out of the top 10.
Surprisingly, network security and encryption are at the bottom of the skills list, both for the current and future federal workforce. The rankings were based on responses from federal supervisors and employees.
OPM said the survey is being used to construct a cybersecurity competency model to identify skills needed for cybersecurity professionals and to establish a plan for recruitment, performance, and development of a federal cybersecurity workforce.
"The federal government must create a comprehensive model to recruit and retain the corps of highly skilled cybersecurity experts necessary to support our national security", said OPM Director John Berry.
The survey is a part of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), a government-led awareness, education, and training initiative “to create a cyber-savvy citizenry and workforce for the 21st century.” OPM is the lead agency for the federal workforce track of the initiative, and the survey is one of several products that will come of the department's efforts.