Appalachian Solutions in Cybersecurity Innovation Initiative: Cybersecurity Technician Pipeline Development in Rural, Eastern Kentucky

2019年秋季288股光缆系统的到来是为阿巴拉契亚中部的企业和居民提供高速、大容量宽带连接的第一步。由此带来的阿巴拉契亚中部数字经济的增长，为该地区目前熟练的技术劳动力和未来的人才管道创造了前所未有的挑战和机遇。随着该地区的企业和服务提供商使用这种高速基础设施，对熟练的网络安全技术人员的需求也在增加。为了满足这一需求，该项目将设计并提供肯塔基州第一个网络安全副学士学位。新学位课程的设计将根据地区行业需求和联邦标准进行考虑。该项目旨在增加对阿巴拉契亚中部等偏远农村地区网络安全教育中有效的招聘战略、学生支持服务和课程设计的了解。该项目将使用国家融合技术中心发布的商业和领导力团队框架来验证网络安全应用科学副学士学位课程的课程内容和学习结果。学生的成功将通过实施学生队列计划模式、在课程中嵌入情景化的第一年体验课程以及提供辅导来支持。学生将参与国家网络安全学生协会、网络联盟比赛和见习等外部机会。该项目团队将与NSF在网络安全方面的其他ATE项目、位于莫雷恩山谷社区学院的国家系统安全和信息保障中心以及国家网络观察中心密切合作，以调整课程内容并为远程和虚拟交付创建练习。该项目由高级技术教育计划资助，该计划专注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优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The arrival of a 288-strand fiber optic cable system in fall 2019 was the first step in providing a high-speed, high-capacity broadband connection to businesses and residents in Central Appalachia. The resulting growth in the Central Appalachian digital economy has created unprecedented challenges and opportunities for region’s current skilled technical workforce and future talent pipelines. As business and service providers in the region use this high-speed infrastructure, there is an increased need for skilled cybersecurity technicians. To meet this need, this project will design and offer Kentucky’s first associate degree in Cybersecurity. Design of the new degree program will be informed by regional industry needs and federal standards. This project intends to increase understanding of effective recruitment strategies, student support services, and curricular design in Cybersecurity education for remote rural environments such as Central Appalachia. This project will use the Business and Leadership Team framework as published by the National Convergence Technology Center to validate course content and learning outcomes for an associate of applied science degree program in Cybersecurity. Student success will be supported by implementing a student cohort program model, embedding a contextualized first-year experience course into the curriculum, and providing tutoring. Students will participate in external opportunities such as the National Cybersecurity Student Association, Cyberleague competition, and apprenticeships. The project team will work closely with other NSF ATE projects in Cybersecurity, the National Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance at Moraine Valley Community College, and the National CyberWatch Center to adapt course content and create exercises for remote and virtual delivery. 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.