Building Cyber Capacity in the Northwest and Beyond

Whatcom Community College, Bellingham WA

Investigators

Abstract

Whatcom Community College (WCC) proposes to expand upon its cybersecurity programs and workforce capacity-building efforts through a trio of interrelated efforts that support the student pipeline from high school through college and university, including online learning. The project will build the pipeline through high school camps and competitions that offer mentorship opportunities for college students, opportunities for high school students to earn college credit, and exposure to industry, with the ultimate goal of embedding programs in regional high schools for maximum impact. WCC has been designated by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in cybersecurity. It is also the lead institution for Cyber Watch West, a regional center for cybersecurity education funded by the NSF's Advanced Technological Education program. The proposed efforts will leverage these projects and prepare students for emerging topics in key cybersecurity industry sectors including industrial control systems, secure cloud computing, mobile technology, and web development. The goals of this project are to: (1) develop and offer an online bachelor of applied science degree in networking, which will include security-infused coursework, embedded certificates, and remote lab accessibility; (2) develop an upper division support/navigator program for students pursuing their programs at WCC or at nearby Western Washington University; and (3) leverage current cybersecurity camps for high school students by including participation in the national high school competition Cyber Patriot. The project will provide employers in both industry and government with qualified networking and cybersecurity professionals to meet the workforce demands. It will offer college credit to high school students successfully completing the cybersecurity camp and will ensure industry participation in curriculum and program development. The program emphasizes study and soft skills using a human-centered design approach that focuses on the individual needs of each student and emphasizes interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and customer service.