American Indian Cyber Warrior (AICW)
A cybersecurity workforce gap growing faster than can be filled. A generation of Native Americans with their futures ripped away by a global pandemic.
A Coalition to change both.
CyberWarrior™ Academy
Secure Your Students' Future!
The CyberWarrior Academy provides multiple pathways to certification and a flexible learning environment designed to support students as they enter cybersecurity careers. The state-of-the-art web-based learning cybersecurity components only require learners to have internet access. Our program provides educators a scalable opportunity to prepare learners for quality cybersecurity careers while utilizing individual learning plans and maintaining educational authenticity. Educators receive comprehensive reports on student progress, skills, and assessments, keeping you and your students in control.
IEF works with each organization to customize and implement the cybersecurity certification or degree program that best serves your students. We provide virtual instructors and provide ongoing support for program design, technology, implementation, and best practices.
With our CyberWarrior™ Academy, educators remain central to the learning process. We understand that cybersecurity certification and cybersecurity degree programs are relatively new; that’s why IEF provides personalized assistance with creating your course plan, educator training, and ongoing support.
IEF's American Indian CyberWarrior™ Programming
Intertribal Education Foundation and our partners created the American Indian Cyber Warrior™ Coalition (also known as the Native American Cyber Warrior™ Coalition) to build a technology hub in Indian Country that is addressing both economic and education gaps afflicting our youth and Veterans. Through IEF, the Coalition provides the American Indian Cyber Warrior™ Academy (Native American Cyber Warrior Academy™) which includes cybersecurity job training, along with additional resources and opportunities to participating Native American youth and Veterans.
Native Americans have a proud history of military service and protecting our nation’s security, yet according to a 2013 GAO study, unemployment of American Indian Veterans living on Tribal Land is at 8.7%. Additionally, American Indian youth face many challenges, compounded by a youth suicide rate two and a half times the national average, substance abuse, physical and emotional abuse, and high school dropout rates twice the national average. Lack of reliable internet access and equipment makes distance learning difficult.
A lack of economic opportunity on reservations and in remote areas dissuades students from staying in school, and many who go on to college don’t return because there are no jobs for them. Meanwhile, our nation is under significant cybersecurity threats and desperate for a trained workforce to ensure our cyber safety.
The American Indian Cyber Warrior (AICW) Coalition seeks to solve these problems.
As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, Build Back Better Regional Challenge (ARPA BBBRC), a regional growth cluster known as the AICW Coalition was formed. The AICW Coalition’s goal is the creation of a new regional cybersecurity technology hub in Indian Country.
Interested in Joining Our Coalition?
Email our Executive Director, Nicole Bremer Nash.