RQ Labs: A Cybersecurity Workforce Skills Development Framework

This research contributes to the knowledge of how Information Systems (IS) researchers can iteratively intervene with practitioners to co-create instructional programs with a framework designed for fast-paced, rapidly changing IS fields such as cybersecurity. We demonstrate how complex fields, such as cybersecurity, have the need for a skilled workforce that continues to rapidly outpace supply from universities. IS researchers partnering with practitioners can use this research as an exemplar of a method to design, build, and evaluate these innovative co-curricular IS programs. Moreover, we find these co-curricular IS programs are essential to upskilling students, integrating training on the latest tools, systems, and processes in these rapidly evolving disciplines. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10796-022-10332-y.