Open Competition for Cybersecurity Youth Academy in Jordan

The U.S. Embassy of Amman of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for not-for-profit organizations to submit applications to develop and implement a cybersecurity academy that will increase cybersecurity awareness, technical skills, and capacity building for 50 Jordanian youth between the ages of 18-24 years old.

Proposals should present a curriculum and program that will teach youth how to properly leverage new technologies to combat future security challenges. The activities should be interactive and hands-on with practical and tangible deliverables for program participants.

Objectives

• As of January 2021, the number of social media users in Jordan has reached an unprecedented 6.3 million users across social media platforms. As a result, cybercrimes are on the rise particularly among youth because many lack the awareness and tools to combat cyberbullying, threats, phishing, and the spread of misinformation. Social media has created an increase in scammers and blackmailers that continue to use these sites to gather information to target their victims. Moreover, there is an increasing demand for cybersecurity professionals globally. Many jobs remain unfilled as employers struggle to find workers with the skills and academic backgrounds they need to address today’s cybersecurity challenges. Grantee should perform the following:

  • Identify, recruit, and train a cohort of 50 emerging cybersecurity leaders in Jordan.

  • Leverage key stakeholders within the Jordanian cybersecurity domain as mentors for potential internship opportunities to encourage participants to consider abroad range of related career options. Program should incorporate “career days” and opportunities to shadow cybersecurity professionals at their place of work.

  • Promote higher education opportunities in the fields of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, computer science, and related degree programs.

  • Identify and prepare students for U.S. cybersecurity scholarship opportunities

  • Through workshops and skills-building sessions facilitated by local trainers, expose participants to cutting-edge content and information related to countering misinformation, information systems, cyber defense, strategic communications and networking, emerging networks, and digital forensics.

  • Connect Jordanian youth with U.S. experts, practitioners, academics, and policy makers through virtual sessions.

  • Design a curriculum that incorporates an American focus, which will use U.S. models, and case studies.

  • Connect Jordanian youth with local mentors and cybersecurity professionals from a range of fields to expose as well as prepare them to career options and professional development opportunities.

  • Provide participants with tips to setup privacy restrictions on their devices by creating strong passwords, cleaning up their online profiles, and avoiding or limiting the use of harmful cloud-based systems and location-based services.

  • Proposals should present a curriculum and program that will teach youth how to properly leverage new technologies to combat future security challenges.

  • The activities should be interactive and hands-on with practical and tangible deliverables for program participants.

Program Components

• Course Modules/Workshops

• Note: Sessions can include but are not limited to the following. Grantee should design courses/modules based on their expertise and knowledge of emerging cybersecurity issues, trends, and opportunities for youth.

  • Course Intro: Cybersecurity and Why It’s Important

  • Cybersecurity Policy

  • Combatting Mis- and Disinformation

  • Cybersecurity Higher Education Opportunities

    • Include virtual sessions with U.S. academics and professionals

  • Cybersecurity Careers and Employment Opportunities

    • Include virtual sessions with U.S. professionals and experts

  • Skills Workshops

    • Application Development Security

    • Cisco Essentials

    • Cloud Security

    • Building Digital Infrastructure

    • Risk Management

    • Threat Intelligence

    • Data Privacy and Security

    • Compliance and Controls

    • Health Information Security

    • Security Strategy and Governance

    • Discover What You Can Become Series: Grantee should identify speakers who can share with participants how to prepare for the following careers:

      • Encryption Expert, Cyber Defense Incident Responder, Cyber Forensics Expert, Cyber Legal Advisor, Cyber Security Advisor, Information Systems Security Manager, Multi-Disciplined Language Analyst, Software Developer, Vulnerable Assessment Analysts, Cyber Crime Investigator, Technical Support Specialist, Cyber Operator, Systems Administrator, Cyber Ops Planner, Information Assurance Analysts, Knowledge Manager, and Threat and Warning Analyst.

  • Cybersecurity Awareness Workshops

    • Protecting Passwords and Personal Information

    • Social Media - Pros vs. Cons

    • Best Practices for using video games chats and messaging platforms

    • Cyberbullying

    • Scams, Phishing, Ransomware, Fake antiviruses, Pop Ups and Surveys

    • Computer Security, Antivirus and How to interpret firewall

    • Information Security, Data Communications and Networks

    • Cryptography and Digital Forensics.

• Course Simulations

  • The program should also include a real-life security simulation where participants learn how to eliminate cyberthreats and defend against a targeted attack.

• Course Practicum

  • Program should incorporate an internship, apprenticeship practicum or “career days” element to give participants an opportunity to shadow cybersecurity professionals at their place of work. Grantee should pair participants with mentors who are currently cybersecurity professionals.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: 12 to 24 month

• Number of awards anticipated: 1-2 awards (dependent on amounts)

• Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $200,000

• Total available funding: $200,000

• Type of Funding: FY23 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds

• Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2022.

Participants and Audiences: Proposals should be designed to reach youth ages 18-24 years old, who are interested or currently studying cybersecurity related subjects such as computer science, computer programming, database management, computer hardware engineering, network administration, cloud computing, information technology and management, information security & assurance, forensics, and machine learning.

Priority Region: Jordan.