Increasing Diversity in the Cybersecurity Talent Pool through Cyber Camps and Competitions

该项目满足了湾区对熟练网络安全技术人员的充分需求。该地区对网络安全专业人员的未满足需求不断增长，预测显示，到2022年，湾区的网络安全/信息通信技术（ICT）部门将有超过18万个工作岗位，其中许多将无人填补。为了帮助满足这一需求，该项目旨在增加高中和社区学院学生的数量，从湾区社区学院攻读和完成成就证书或信息和通信技术副学士学位。为了产生和保持兴趣，项目团队将让学生和教师参与一项为期一年的创新网络安全竞赛途径计划，从夏季网络夏令营开始，并继续进行为期一年的活动和竞赛。两个目标将指导项目小组的工作。首先是利用暑期网络夏令营和竞赛，增加学生在湾区社区学院学习信息和通信技术课程的机会和学习。第二是满足当地对更多和更好地准备高中和社区大学ICT教师的需求。康特拉科斯塔社区学院区将利用该项目增加高中和社区大学学生接受中学后教育并最终加入网络安全劳动力的人数。社区学院的学生将担任学生技术导师，获得为高中和社区学院竞赛团队提供解决问题和技术支持的经验，加强他们对网络安全概念的理解，并为ICT/网络安全的入门级技术人员工作做好准备。该项目的设计将感兴趣的其他机构和该项目的文件和实施指南将允许学校采用和调整网络营和比赛计划，无论是作为一个补充的课后计划，或一个是不可分割的学校现有的计算机职业途径。对项目的形成性和总结性评价将利用定性和定量数据，以确保项目继续按计划进行并实现既定目标。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。

This project addresses the well-documented need for skilled cybersecurity technicians in the Bay Area. Unmet demand for cybersecurity professionals keeps growing in the region and projections indicate that by 2022 there will be over 180,000 jobs for the Cybersecurity/Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in the Bay Area, many of which will go unfilled. To help meet this demand, this project aims to increase the number of high school and community college students pursuing and completing a certificate of achievement or an associate degree in ICT from a Bay Area community college. To generate and maintain interest, the project team will engage students and teachers in an innovative year-long cybersecurity competition pathway program beginning with summer Cyber Camps and continuing with year-long activities and competitions. Two goals will guide the project team's efforts. First is to use the summer cyber camps and competitions to increase student access to and learning within an ICT program of study with a Bay Area community college. Second is to address the local need for more and better prepared high school and community college teachers in ICT.The Contra Costa Community College District will leverage this project to increase the number of high school and community college students pursuing post-secondary education and eventually joining the cybersecurity workforce. Community college students will serve as Student Technical Mentors, gaining experience providing problem solving and technical support to the high school and community college competition teams, reinforcing their own understanding of cybersecurity concepts, and preparing them for entry-level technician jobs in ICT/cybersecurity. The project design will be of interest to other institutions and the project's documentation and implementation guide will allow schools to adopt and adapt a cyber camp and competitions program either as a supplemental after-school-program or one that is integral with a school’s existing computer career pathways. The formative and summative evaluation of the project will make use of qualitative and quantitative data to ensure that the project remains on track and is meeting the stated goals. 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.