Federal Shutdown Impacts Cybersecurity Sector
By: Leyah Jackson
Today marks week one of the recent government shutdown. According to NPR news, roughly 750,000 federal workers have been furloughed and President Donald Trump is threatening mass layoff, should the shutdown continue. Government officials have continued to raise doubts about whether or not federal employees will receive back pay once the shutdown ends.
The government shutdown is affecting lives on various levels. Across the country, many air traffic controllers are staying home, causing towers - which guide planes into and out of the airport - to close, and flights to be delayed. Federal employees are furloughed, temporarily dismissed from their jobs without pay. Essential workers such as TSA agents, soldiers, and emergency services are still required to report to their jobs.
An article published by PBS said, “Student aid will be largely unaffected in the short term, according to the Department of Education’s shutdown contingency plan. Pell Grants and federal loans will continue to be disbursed, and student loan borrowers must continue making payments on their debts.”
Young people, especially college students, are still concerned about the shutdown. Students who had once planned to work federal jobs, are not questioning what life will look like post graduation. First-year cybersecurity major Quintarion Hayes said the shutdown shifted his outlook on job opportunities within cybersecurity.
“I still possess a positive outlook on job opportunities, but I have become more aware of the potential risks or outcomes that could occur if I am to pursue a cybersecurity job with the government,” said Hayes.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been one of the first among federal agencies to begin permanently downsizing its employees as a result of the government shutdown. While some are thinking about their future careers amidst the furlough, others are worried about national security.
“I think it’s disheartening but also dangerous. Laying off so many people in the field of cyber defense has the potential to make our government extremely vulnerable,” second-year cybersecurity major Eden Hudson said.
With no clear end in sight, the ongoing shutdown threatens not only federal agencies but also the stability of those preparing to serve them. Consequences of this shutdown are being felt across the nation, even among the next generation preparing to enter the work force.
