Expanding Cybersecurity Education at a Rural Community College

This project aims to serve the national interest by developing a cohesive strategy to raise awareness of careers in cybersecurity, increase the diversity of the workforce, and provide hands-on learning experiences. Marion Technical College (MTC), in collaboration with industry and education partners, intends to address the demand for skilled technicians and strengthen the cybersecurity workforce in rural Ohio. The proposed project has the potential to bridge the skills gap and establish a skilled cybersecurity workforce to meet local, regional, and nationwide demands. The project team plans to create three new cybersecurity courses with embedded certifications, a capstone course, new stackable certificate options, and a professional development boot camp. The project proposes an outreach strategy for underrepresented students in cybersecurity including rural students, economically disadvantaged students, and women. The goal of the project is to promote awareness of cybersecurity pathways to increase the supply of skilled technicians and strengthen the cybersecurity workforce. The project will achieve this goal through four objectives: 1) Expand and enhance existing cybersecurity curriculum by developing three new technical courses and one capstone course; 2) Provide professional development opportunities for 60 high school instructors, local government, and public utility employees; 3) Enhance short-term certificates by integrating stackable credentials and upskilling 30 incumbent workers; 4) Increase program enrollment of rural students, women, and economically disadvantaged students pursuing credentials in cybersecurity by 25%. The formal evaluation will determine the effectiveness of the program and capture the project's contributions to the generation of knowledge on preparing qualified cybersecurity technicians. 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.