Attracting the Next Generation Cybersecurity Workforce

该项目将解决马萨诸塞州MetroWest和大波士顿地区对熟练网络安全技术人员的充分证明的需求。此外，项目组的目标是增加整个网络安全劳动力的种族和性别多样性，以满足当地劳动力的需求。将开发一个可复制和可持续的教育生态系统，以招收、留住和研究生马斯贝社区学院网络安全项目的学生。通过与地区行业和高中合作伙伴的合作，该计划将鼓励高中生攻读网络安全方面的学位和职业。留住人才的努力将确保网络安全专业的学生掌握满足行业期望所需的知识和实践技能。将为学生提供指导、职业建议和支持，以及实习机会，以确保他们成功并进入网络安全工作队伍。MassBay提供的教育体验将建立在“Cyber Range”的开发基础上，这是一个基于互联网的计算机网络平台，为学生提供网络安全方面的实践体验。将开展练习，为高中生和大学生提供网络安全实践体验。这些练习将与行业合作伙伴合作开发，使用他们的安全产品，为学生提供真实的网络安全体验。该项目的网络范围将用于为高中生创建研讨会活动，开发培训材料以指导和教育学生成为同伴导师，并为高中教师和MassBay教师提供培训培训员研讨会。高中、青年服务组织和行业合作伙伴将利用网络范围举办网络比赛、黑客松、指导和实习，以使学生意识到并激励他们攻读网络安全学位。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。

This project will address the well-documented need for skilled Cybersecurity technicians in the MetroWest and Greater Boston regions of Massachusetts. Moreover, the project team aims to increase the racial and gender diversity of the overall Cybersecurity workforce that will satisfy those local workforce demands. A replicable and sustainable educational ecosystem will be developed that will recruit, retain, and graduate students in the Cybersecurity program at MassBay Community College. Through collaborations with regional industry and high school partners, the program will encourage high school students to pursue degrees, and careers, in Cybersecurity. Retention efforts will ensure that students majoring in Cybersecurity achieve a mastery of the knowledge and the practical skills needed to meet industry expectations. Students will be provided with mentoring, career advice and support, and internship opportunities to ensure their success and entry into the Cybersecurity workforce. The educational experience provided by MassBay will be based on the development of a "Cyber Range," which is an Internet-based computer network platform that provides students with hands-on experience in Cybersecurity. Exercises will be developed to give high school and college students practical experiences in Cybersecurity. These exercises will be developed in collaboration with industry partners, using their security products, to provide students with real-world experiences in Cybersecurity. The project's Cyber Range will be used to create workshop activities for high school students, develop training materials to instruct and educate students to become peer-mentors, and offer train-the trainer workshops to high school teachers and MassBay faculty. High schools, youth serving organizations, and industry partners will use the Cyber Range to host cyber competitions, hackathons, mentoring, and internships to make students aware of and motivate them to pursue degrees in Cybersecurity. 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.