Registration is now open for the Cyber Workforce Competition West (CWC West), the first event in a new regional cyber competition series presented by the Department of War Chief Information Officer’s Workforce Innovation Directorate (DoW CIO WID). The competition is open to teams from National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) institutions, and registration runs from November 2 through November 12.

The competition unfolds in stages. After registering, teams will take part in a remote online qualification challenge from November 14 to 29. The top 20 qualifying teams will then advance to the live, two-day CWC West competition on February 16–17, 2027, at the San Diego Convention Center. The event is co-located with WEST, the premier defense conference co-sponsored by AFCEA and the U.S. Naval Institute.

CWC West is built to reflect the work cyber professionals actually do. Challenge tasks map directly to critical DoD 8140.03 and DoW Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF) work roles, giving students experience aligned with the skills the defense workforce needs. Competitors will test their technical skills against peer institutions in a rigorous environment while connecting with military leadership, DoW CIO representatives, and top industry experts.

Top performers at CWC West will compete for an invitation to the CWC National Championship, held April 6–8, 2027, at the Cyber Workforce Summit 3.0 at National Defense University.

The regional series is part of a broader effort to forge the next generation of cyber warriors who will sustain and protect the nation’s total cyber force. By connecting NCAE-C students directly with defense missions and leaders, CWC West offers participants a pathway into national cyber defense careers while strengthening the workforce pipeline.

Institutions interested in participating should form their team and register at cyberworkforce.mil/cybercompetitions before the window closes on November 12.

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