Cybersecurity and Data Analytics Fluency Credentials for the Main Street Workforce in Partnership with IBM and Jobs for the Future

As part of the broader IBM SkillsBuild initiative, Main Street Assembly partnered with IBM and Jobs for the Future to co-design and pilot two new credentials in cybersecurity and data analytics with community colleges across the United States. The effort focused on ensuring the credentials were employer-informed, workforce-relevant, and directly aligned with small business and industry needs—while creating clear pathways from learning to employment and advancement.

The engagement included:

• Co-building and piloting cybersecurity and data analytics credentials with multiple community colleges

• Leading employer and SME focus groups to inform credential design

• Designing and disseminating surveys and conducting interviews to validate curriculum relevance and demand

• Shaping credential architecture, learning outcomes, and core content components

• Developing strategies to connect learners to job opportunities and career pathways, particularly in small business markets and industries

• Aligning credentials with both academic progression and workforce advancement

• Creating Skill Maps and Competency Guides to support adoption and stakeholder alignment

• Facilitating conversations between academic institutions, employers, and workforce partners

Outcomes included:

• Employer-validated credentials aligned with in-demand skills

• Clearer pathways for learners into cybersecurity and data analytics roles

• Practical options for businesses to upskill their workforce and remain competitive

Partner organizations: IBM; Jobs for the Future (JFF)