Preparing High School and Community College Students for the Cybersecurity Workforce

PTC educates an up-and-coming cyber security workforce even before they enter our classrooms and labs.

With funding by a National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Grant*, the Cyber-Employment Readiness Program (CERP) at PTC tackles cybersecurity awareness and education for K-12 students. It’s never been more important to prepare students who aim to enter this dynamic profession—or to reach out to those who may not know about career opportunities in cybersecurity—with relevant, hands-on, and highly-credentialed instruction.

CERP’s goals include:

Increasing the number of applicants to PTC’s Associate in Science Information Technology program, specifically the Information Security and Computer Forensics concentration, by 10% and the number of students from underrepresented groups in the program by 5% over the project period.
Improve classroom instruction to better prepare students for the local cyber security workforce.
Introducing cyber security education activities into Pittsburgh-area high schools to better prepare the next generation of cyber security professionals.

PTC’s Information Security and Computer Forensics concentration has earned the prestigious National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE)—Two-year Education designation awarded jointly by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. It’s this kind of education that’s grounded in technical and faculty expertise that is eye-opening for students as they consider their career options, even before they’re prepared to enter college.

We will soon be adding the activities, projects, and mentorship that’s designed to support CERP students as they benefit from this important grant.

*Grant ID 2000902