Collaborative Research: Capacity Building: Building a Cybersecurity Pipeline through Experiential Virtual Labs and Workforce Alliances

该项目建议在新墨西哥州北部学院(NNMC)的信息工程技术学士学位中嵌入网络安全专业。课程内容包括两门常规核心课程、两门凯普斯通课程和一次实习经历。学习计划还将包括三门与网络安全有关的必修课，涉及计算机、网络和编程基础。这项工作将与南佛罗里达大学(USF)合作进行。这个综合项目有几个组成部分。首先，该项目将为100至400级课程制作高级课程和培训材料，丰富了涵盖网络安全基本原则的大量虚拟实验室(VLab)。VLab和培训手册将是便携的，随时可用，并可在标准虚拟环境中部署，无需配置或安装包，从而促进资源共享。拟议课程还将包括国家安全局(NSA)和国家安全系统委员会(CNSS)认可的培训标准，以满足CNSS 4011培训标准。其次，NNMC和USF将与行业组织和洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室(LANL)建立联盟，包括LANL的工程/IT部门及其国家安全教育中心(NSEC)，以创建网络安全实习计划。该联盟将加强与工业和联邦实验室的合作，努力加强国家安全。第三，NNMC将与新墨西哥州劳动力解决方案部门和一所地区农村高中合作，加强网络安全管道，增加专业人员的培养，以满足地区需求。最后，将提供教育模式和课程材料，并通过完善的渠道，如西部学院支助和培训中心(WASTC)进一步传播。WASTC在全国范围内提供计算机科学和IT培训，并支持数百所有兴趣采用vLabs的高等教育机构。

This project proposes to implement a cybersecurity concentration embedded in the Bachelor degree in Information Engineering Technology at Northern New Mexico College (NNMC). The concentration will consist of two regular core courses, two Capstone courses, and one internship experience. The program of studies will also include three cybersecurity-infused prerequisite courses involving computers, networking, and programming essentials. This effort will be conducted in partnership with the University of South Florida (USF). The comprehensive project has several components. First, the project will create advanced curricular and training material for 100-level to 400-level courses enriched with a large number of virtual laboratories (vLabs) covering the fundamental principles of cybersecurity. The vLabs and training manuals will be portable, ready to use and deployable in a standard virtual environment without the need for configuration or package installation, thus promoting resource sharing. The proposed curriculum will also include a training standard recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) to meet the CNSS 4011 training standard. Second, NNMC and USF will establish an alliance with industry organizations and with Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL), including Engineering/IT divisions at LANL and its National Security Education Center (NSEC), to create an internship program in cybersecurity. The alliance will strengthen the collaboration with industry and federal laboratories, in efforts to bolster national security. Third, NNMC will partner with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions and a regional rural high-school to strengthen the cybersecurity pipeline and increase the production of professionals to fill regional demand. Finally, the educational model and curricular material will be available and further disseminated through well-established channels, such as the Western Academy Support and Training Center (WASTC). WASTC provides computer science and IT training across the country and supports hundreds of higher education institutions that have interest in adopting vLabs.