Cybersecurity Enhancement and Expansion Program for Information Technology Programs at the College of Central Florida

对网络安全专业人员日益增长的需求是有据可查的。佛罗里达州立法机构于2014年创建了“佛罗里达网络安全中心”，也被称为“网络佛罗里达”，其目标是“使佛罗里达州成为全国最安全的网络州”。为了支持这一倡议并增加该地区网络安全专业人员的数量，佛罗里达中部学院(CF)将开发一种新的大学学分证书(CCC)，专注于网络安全，通过行业合作伙伴关系和合作/实习进入劳动力大军。该项目将实施面向高中生和社区大学生、成人学生以及更大社区的外展活动。该项目的目标是通过扩大CF吸引、留住和成功认证更多学生的能力，满足该地区对合格网络安全工作人员日益增长的需求。从这个项目中学到的经验教训将有助于在副一级的网络安全教育和劳动力培训方面提供宝贵的经验数据，并将传播给教育界。拟议的项目将实现以下目标：(1)开发以网络安全为重点的新CCC；(2)增加注册网络安全和IT课程和证书的学生数量和多样性；以及(3)增加完成网络安全/IT课程并通过行业认证的学生数量。当地雇主和国家网络安全培训与教育中心(NCyTE)将指导新的网络安全CCC的发展。该项目将考察，提供专门针对网络安全的符合经济援助条件的30学分小时CCC是否会在吸引的学生数量和性别方面有所不同。新的课程大纲和教材以及项目实施产生的见解将通过CF网站、Cyber佛罗里达和NCyTE中心与全国其他机构共享。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 growing need for cybersecurity professionals is well documented. The Florida state legislature created “The Florida Center for Cybersecurity,” also known as “Cyber Florida,” in 2014 with the “vision of making Florida the most cyber-secure state in the nation.” To support this initiative and to increase the number of cybersecurity professionals in the region, the College of Central Florida (CF) will develop a new College Credit Certificate (CCC) focused on cybersecurity with a pathway into the workforce via industry partnerships and co-ops/internships. The project will implement outreach activities that target high school and community college students, adult students, and the larger community. The goal of the project is to address the increasing demand for a qualified cybersecurity workforce in the region by expanding CF’s capacity to attract, retain and successfully certify an increased number of students. The lessons learned from this project will contribute valuable empirical data on associate-level cybersecurity education and workforce training and will be disseminated to the education community.The proposed project will accomplish the following objectives: (1) Develop a new CCC with a focus on cybersecurity; (2) Increase the number and diversity of students enrolled in cybersecurity and IT programs and certificates; and (3) Increase the number of students who complete Cybersecurity /IT programs, and pass industry certifications. Local employers and the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center (NCyTE) will guide the development of the new cybersecurity CCC. The project will examine whether offering a financial aid-eligible 30-credit hour CCC focused specifically on cybersecurity makes a difference in the number and gender of students it attracts. The new course curricula and materials as well as insights generated by the project implementation will be shared with other institutions across the country via CF website, Cyber Florida, and the NCyTE Center. 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.