Growing Rural Iowa's Cybersecurity Workforce

Data breaches and cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common and it is imperative that networks and computers are protected from malicious actions by outside entities. Unfortunately, businesses and organizations in rural settings are at a higher risk for cybersecurity incidents given the lack of trained cybersecurity technicians to protect the computing systems these organizations rely on. The goal of this project is to help address the Nation’s need for skilled cybersecurity professionals by developing an educational pipeline that will produce skilled cybersecurity technicians capable of protecting vulnerable computing assets in rural Iowa and beyond. The focus of the project will be to redesign and add new hands-on training tools to an existing cybersecurity and systems administration AAS program at Indian Hills Community College, which is located in rural southeast Iowa. The goals of the project will be accomplished by: (1) revamping the college’s cybersecurity and systems administration AAS program by integrating courses, modules and laboratory exercises developed by the National CyberWatch Center; (2) procuring and operating a cyber range for hands-on training; (3) launching a Capture the Flag competition to provide rural postsecondary students, secondary students and secondary educators with in-depth exposure to the field; and (4) hiring dedicated personnel to focus on increasing enrollment, retention and graduation in the AAS program. This project will advance our understanding of, and develop and test strategies aimed at increasing enrollment, retention, and completion among rural, two-year college cybersecurity students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.