The Hostos Technical Education in Cybersecurity (H-TEC) Project

该项目旨在通过培养更多合格的技术人员来满足网络安全方面的劳动力需求，从而为国家利益服务。保持计算机和信息系统的安全是商业、工业和政府的关键需求和主要挑战。网络威胁的增长催生了对更多拥有知识和技能来保护现有和新兴技术的员工的需求。为了满足纽约市对训练有素、经过认证的网络安全技术人员的需求，Hostos网络安全技术教育（H-TEC）项目将创建一个在线网络安全计划，从而获得符合联邦标准的行业认证。这一创新课程将采取全面的方法，将同伴指导、监管合规、执法视角以及体验式和基于项目的学习结合起来。由于该项目是在西班牙裔服务机构（HSI），少数族裔学生占绝大多数，它也有可能增加网络安全劳动力的多样性，同时提高学生的社会流动性。该项目有两个目标：(1)开发一个在线的、最先进的网络安全项目，其中包括能够获得行业认证的模块，并整合监管和执法合规的概念，以及发展沟通、批判性思维和解决问题的能力。(2)从邻近的高中和学院的继续教育和劳动力部门建立渠道，招收少数族裔学生参加该项目，并帮助纽约市地区的网络安全劳动力多样化。七个关键活动将构成项目团队的工作框架。首先，开发七门在线网络安全课程，利用ATE网络安全教育中心现有的高质量材料和资源。其次，与行业合作伙伴合作，创建四个学习模块，教授内容和实践技能，从而获得行业认证。第三，与行业合作伙伴合作，将体验式学习和基于项目的学习融入到新的网络安全课程中。第四和第五，包括为教师和同行领导提供有关新课程和模块的研讨会，并为当地高中的指导顾问、高中三年级和四年级学生、刚进入大学的学生和大学就业服务办公室的工作人员提供研讨会和信息会议。第六，利用完善的项目访问计划，为STEM学科中成绩优异但经济条件不利的高中生提供全年丰富课程、辅导服务和基于项目的学习。第七，也是最后一点，是通过为完成CompTIA a +认证的继续教育学生提供先前学习的学分，为在职员工创造进入网络安全项目的途径。该项目由先进技术教育（ATE）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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识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 aims to serve the national interest by producing more qualified technicians to meet workforce demands in cybersecurity. Keeping computers and information systems secure is a critical need and a major challenge in business, industry, and government. The growth of cyber-threats has created a need for many more workers who have the knowledge and skills to protect both existing and emerging technologies. To meet the need for well-trained, certified cybersecurity technicians in the New York City area, the Hostos Technical Education in Cybersecurity (H-TEC) project will create an online cybersecurity program leading to industry certifications aligned with federal standards. This innovative curriculum will take a holistic approach, incorporating peer mentoring, regulatory compliance, a law enforcement perspective, and experiential and project-based learning. Because the project is based at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with a supermajority of minority students, it also has potential to increase the diversity of the cybersecurity workforce while improving social mobility for the students.The project has two goals: (1) Develop an online, state-of-the-art cybersecurity program, which includes modules that lead to industry certifications and integrate concepts of regulatory and law enforcement compliance and the development of communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. (2) Build a pipeline from neighboring high schools and the college's Continuing Education and Workforce Division to recruit minority students into the program and help diversify the cybersecurity workforce in the New York City area. Seven key activities will frame the project team's efforts. First, is to develop seven online cybersecurity courses that make use of existing high-quality materials and resources available through the ATE centers for cybersecurity education. Second, is to create four learning modules, in collaboration with industry partners, to teach content and hands-on skills that lead to industry certifications. Third, is to embed experiential learning and project-based learning into the new cybersecurity courses in collaboration with industry partners. Fourth and fifth, entail offering workshops on the new courses and modules to faculty and peer leaders and offering workshops and informational sessions to guidance counselors at local high schools, high school juniors and seniors, students just entering the college, and the college's Career Services Office staff. Sixth, is leveraging the well-established Proyecto Access program, which provides year-round enrichment courses, tutorial services, and project-based learning to high-achieving yet economically disadvantaged high school students in STEM disciplines. Seventh, and finally, is to create a pathway to the cybersecurity program for incumbent workers by awarding credit for prior learning to Continuing Education students who complete the CompTIA A+ certification. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) 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.