# Federal Cyber Programs Emphasize Practical Training

A MeriTalk article argues that federal cyber workforce programs should preserve supervised, hands-on fundamentals as AI automates routine triage and other entry-level tasks. It recommends assessing practical judgment, incident response, and recovery skills alongside credentials. The article identifies no open solicitation, contract value, or procurement contact.

- Procurement teams developing cyber workforce training can include supervised practice, realistic incident-response exercises, and evaluation of human-AI work alongside credential-based measures.
- Contractors may find potential demand for apprenticeship support, mentoring, realistic exercises, and human-AI training and evaluation; the article describes a market signal, not a specific procurement opportunity.
- The article’s emphasis on practical skills indicates that training proposals can address how participants build and demonstrate judgment, response, and recovery capabilities as routine tasks become automated.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** October 15, 2026

### Sources
- [As AI Speeds Cyber Defense, Government Must Preserve the Training Ground – MeriTalk](https://www.meritalk.com/as-ai-speeds-cyber-defense-government-must-preserve-the-training-ground) - MeriTalk