Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing and most lucrative fields in the country. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the field are expected to grow by 33% in the next decade with a median pay in the six figures. New funding from the State of Florida will help create more opportunities for South Florida students to train for and to land some of these high-paying positions.
Miami Dade College has been awarded $2 million from Florida Department of Education and the Florida Center for Cybersecurity to inspire and prepare more students to pursue careers in cybersecurity.
This initiative is built on the state’s CTE audit and implementation of HB 1507 to shift K-12 and postsecondary course offerings in a manner that phases out low-demand, low-wage courses and introduces more high-demand, high-wage courses and stackable credentials to best align Florida’s K-12 and postsecondary systems with workforce demands.
MDC will use the funding to increase the local talent workforce in cybersecurity over the next year and will focus on offering affordable and flexible training options to both traditional and non-traditional students. It will fund scholarships for students registered in the Associate in Science in Cybersecurity and stipends for local residents taking upskilling training at MDC’s Cybersecurity Center.
The funding will also help MDC EnTec facilitate paid internships with local companies for its students. A cyber exploration event for middle school and high school students will highlight pathways into cybersecurity and the funding will help bring more relevant cybersecurity conferences and competitions.
“We are so grateful for this investment in MDC from the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Center for Cybersecurity to continue expanding opportunities in this growing and critical field,” said MDC President Madeline Pumariega, in a statement. “MDC offers one of the nation’s top cybersecurity programs and real-world experience at its live-fire cyber range. We couldn’t do this without amazing partners.”
For more information about the award and the scholarships available for students interested in cybersecurity, visit: https://www.mdc.edu/entec/grants/cyberpathways.aspx.
FIU was awarded more than $2.4 million to fund four projects providing research, professional development for students, K-12 outreach, and upskilling public and nonprofit organizations for meet the demand for cybersecurity jobs, the university reported.
MDC and FIU’s grants are all part of a $15.6 million initiative by the Cybersecurity and Information Technology Pathways (Cyber/IT Pathways) program to expand cybersecurity and IT training in Florida. It’s part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ goal to make Florida the best state in the nation for workforce education by 2030. The 24 projects funded through the initiative are expected to train 27,000 Florida students over the next year.
Also from South Florida, Florida Atlantic University received a grant of $838,483 to help FAU market and grow existing cybersecurity, cryptology and business management certification courses and programs in the College of Business, the College of Science and the College of Engineering and Computer Science. What’s more, Palm Beach State College received $1 million in funding as part of the same state initiative.
The four FIU programs selected for funding are:
- Project HaHa” (Hands-on Hardware Security Education) was awarded $1.2 million and focuses on broadening and diversifying hardware security education to meet increasing cybersecurity needs.
- The FIU Minecraft-based Cybersecurity Professional Development for K12 Teachers program was awarded $250,000 and aims to pursue a game-based approach to cybersecurity education.
- The Cybersecurity Pathway for Public and Nonprofit Organizations program received $680,000 and will provide special online training and in-person workshops on cybersecurity and IT to professionals in public and nonprofit organizations to bolster their offerings in their curriculum for disadvantaged students.
- The FIU Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Fellowship program received over $280,000 in funding and provides undergraduate and graduate students with a yearlong cybersecurity workforce pathway program that includes interdisciplinary academic training, mentorship, professional development, and guaranteed internships after the program.
This funding will further boost FIU’s fast-growing cybersecurity programs and comes shortly after being awarded $2 million to develop artificial intelligence cybersecurity tools and leading the sold-out 2022 National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Conference, which focuses on exploring ways to develop a skilled cybersecurity workforce.
Follow Nancy Dahlberg on Twitter @ndahlberg and email her at [email protected]
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