• Expanding access to technical training in cybersecurity for young talent across the region, through both in-person and virtual modalities. 
• Fostering comprehensive professional development through soft skills workshops, mentorship, and internship opportunities. 
• Promoting the inclusion of women and underrepresented groups in the cybersecurity field through practical exercises and dedicated events. 
• Supporting the creation of national talent development frameworks in cybersecurity across OAS Member States. 
• Encouraging multisectoral cooperation among governments, academia, private sector, and civil society to build sustainable cybersecurity talent ecosystems. 

Technical Training 

• In-person and virtual cybersecurity training at basic and intermediate levels, open to youth from countries including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago. 
• Access to professional certifications supported by ISC2 and SANS. 
• Access to learning platforms such as Platzi for continued education. 
• Aptitude assessments to help participants identify their interest areas within cybersecurity. 

Highlighted 2025 Activity: 

A cybersecurity workshop in Jamaica (September 2025), organized in collaboration with SANS and the Ministry of National Security, featuring: 

Introductory cybersecurity training 

A specialized course on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity 

Mentorship with industry experts 

Access to certification upon completion 

Professional Development 

• Soft skills, communication, and career readiness workshops 
• Entrepreneurship and innovation events such as CyberVentures Quest, promoting creativity, leadership, and teamwork 
• The OAS Cyber Talents internship program, offering placements in national and regional CSIRTs where participants contribute to real cybersecurity projects 

Cybersecurity Exercises 

• SheSecures: virtual challenges exclusively for women to develop technical cybersecurity skills in a supportive environment 
• OAS Cyber Challenge: capture-the-flag (CTF) competition that allows youth (ages 17–25) to represent their countries and demonstrate their technical skills.  
• National challenges, such as the 2024 edition of the Cybersec Challenge in Costa Rica organized with the Cybersec Cluster, which included teams from seven OAS Member States.  

New editions of SheSecures and the OAS Cyber Challenge will be launched in 2025.

Support for the Development of Cybersecurity Workforce Frameworks and Public Policy 

• Training workshops on cybersecurity workforce development, aimed at representatives from government, academia, the private sector, and civil society. In 2024, a virtual workshop was organized with Belize as part of the development of its national cybersecurity strategy to enhance the discussion on cybersecurity capabilities and talent.  
• Technical assistance for the design of national talent development frameworks. 
• "A Systems Approach to Understanding National Cybersecurity Education Capacity": a publication jointly produced by the OAS and the ITU that seeks to provide relevant information for the development and implementation of cybersecurity education and workforce development initiatives, programs, and frameworks. 

In 2024, the OAS provided support to Costa Rica in designing its National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Framework, which included several consultations as well as a three-day in-person workshop that utilized systems thinking to map needs, identify gaps, and define action plans.

In 2025, the OAS will support Costa Rica in the implementation of this framework, which will include the organization of a virtual workshop to support the deployment of the framework.