Preparing High School and Community College Students for the Cybersecurity Workforce

网络安全威胁的数量和复杂性不断增加，需要更多具备保护数字基础设施的知识和技能的工作人员。为了确保计算机和信息系统的安全，所有部门都需要准备充分的技术人员，他们可以预防，检测和调查网络安全漏洞。为了满足这一需求，该项目将启动一个项目，旨在使K-12课程与行业需求保持一致，并培养匹兹堡地区学生的网络安全能力。通过这个项目，学院的目标是：（1）增加学生的数量，特别是来自代表性不足的群体的学生，在其以网络安全为重点的信息技术副学士学位课程;（2）改善教学，以更好地为学生准备当地的网络安全劳动力;和（3）引入教育活动到中学，以准备学生在网络安全的进一步教育。调查人员将通过与比弗县职业和技术中心合作，开发一种与高中合作的创新模式，该中心与匹兹堡地区超过17所高中合作，为包括网络安全在内的技术领域的学生做好准备。为了扩大对网络安全的参与，项目团队将针对来自服务不足社区的中学和职业技术中心的学生，参加夏令营，网络安全竞赛，会议和指导。为了扩大和加强网络安全教学，项目小组将利用虚拟实验室环境，让教师参与应用主动学习和教学方法，并将提供关于网络安全课程开发和主题的研讨会。为了使学院的网络安全课程与企业和行业的需求保持一致，项目团队将加强咨询委员会在塑造课程方面的作用，提供有关该领域的演讲，指导学生，设计实习和其他就业途径。该项目将增加指导，帮助学生研究特定网络安全工作的要求，并将这些要求与他们在课程中开发的知识和技能联系起来。该项目评估将检查虚拟环境在培训就业准备网络安全学生的有效性，行业主导的方法鼓励高中生申请两年制网络安全课程的有效性，以及让商业/行业合作伙伴参与设计和开发课程并从代表性不足的群体中招募学生的做法的有效性。 该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The growing number and sophistication of cybersecurity threats have created a need for many more workers with the knowledge and skills to protect digital infrastructure. To ensure the security of computers and information systems, all sectors need well-prepared technicians who can prevent, detect, and investigate cybersecurity breaches. Toward meeting this need, the project will launch a project designed to align K-12 curricula with industry needs and to foster proficiency in cybersecurity for students in the Pittsburgh area. Through this project, the College aims to: (1) increase the number of students, especially students from underrepresented groups, in its cybersecurity-focused associate degree program in information technology; (2) improve instruction to better prepare students for the local cybersecurity workforce; and (3) introduce educational activities into secondary schools to prepare students for further education in cybersecurity. The investigators will develop an innovative model for partnerships with high schools by collaborating with the Beaver County Career and Technology Center, which works with more than 17 high schools in the Pittsburgh area to prepare students in technical areas, including cybersecurity. To broaden participation in cybersecurity, the project team will target middle school and Career Tech Center students from underserved communities for participation in summer camps, cybersecurity competitions, conferences, and mentoring. To expand and strengthen cybersecurity instruction, the project team will engage teachers in applied active-learning-and-teaching methods using virtual lab environments and will offer workshops on curriculum development and topics in cybersecurity. To align the college's cybersecurity curriculum with needs of business and industry, the project team will enhance the advisory board's role in shaping the curriculum, providing presentations about the field, mentoring students, and designing internships and other pathways to jobs. The project will add instruction that helps students research the requirements for specific cybersecurity jobs and connect those requirements with the knowledge and skills they are developing in their coursework. The project evaluation will examine the effectiveness of virtual environments in training job-ready cybersecurity students, the effectiveness of industry-led approaches for encouraging high school students to apply to two-year cybersecurity programs, and the effectiveness of practices to engage business/industry partners in designing and developing curricula and recruiting students from underrepresented groups. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program, which 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.