Beginnings: SEcurity and Networking Training through Inclusive, Novel, and Experiential Learning (SENTINEL)

Wake Technical Community College’s (Wake Tech) SEcurity and Networking Training through Inclusive, Novel, and Experiential Learning (SENTINEL) project seeks to increase awareness of the emergent technology fields of Advanced Networking, Cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IOT). This project will recruit a cohort of learners, early in their IT career, with a specific focus on women, veterans, and minorities from groups underrepresented in STEM. The project will address the future technical needs of industry by working collaboratively with industry partners to develop sustainable pathways to equip learners with the skills, knowledge, and resources required to earn credentials and increase their participation in emergent technologies. The project will advance knowledge by providing a deeper understanding of the preparation and hands-on training needed for non-credit students to be successful and enter the workforce or continue their academic studies. Through focused outreach and targeted approaches to reduce barriers for diverse learners, the project will support diversifying these emergent technology fields and reduce opportunity gaps for participants. Project participants will engage in a 30-week, cohort-based bootcamp, which will anchor instruction and training with the needs of local industry and immerse learners in applied experiences to develop their career readiness and employability skills. The project will create new opportunities for experiential learning by working jointly with collaborators to develop a curriculum enhanced through job shadowing, mentoring, real-world problems, and realistic simulations, culminating with cooperative learning experiences for participants. The project will evaluate the engagement of industry partners, learners’ perceptions of their professional STEM identity, and the effectiveness of work-based learning experiences for increasing participation and engagement in emergent technologies. This project aligns with the NSF ExLENT Program, funded by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, as it seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals from diverse professional and educational backgrounds to increase their interest in, and their access to, career pathways in emerging technology fields. 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.