Advancing cybersecurity education in collaboration with industry

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $609,808 Project Grant under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD), doing business as Cypress College. The grant, titled "ACE IDEAS: Advanced Cybersecurity Education for Industry-Driven, Diversity-Minded, Early Aged Students," aims to update and augment Cypress College's existing cybersecurity curriculum to include project-based learning, internships, soft skills development, and preparation for industry certification exams. The project also focuses on building enrollment, persistence, and completion in the cybersecurity program, with an emphasis on recruiting and supporting students from underrepresented groups. Key activities include working closely with a Business and Industry Leadership Team to align the curriculum with employer needs, developing an ePortfolio system for students, establishing an industry mentorship program, and engaging high school students in cybersecurity competitions and workshops. This 3-year project, starting on May 1, 2024, builds upon NOCCCD's previous NSF-funded work to create a cybersecurity education pathway from high school to the workforce.

Abstract

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. This project will prepare students for cybersecurity technician positions by engaging with employers to strengthen the technical experience that students gain during their courses. The project will also focus on increasing the recruitment, retention, and graduation of students from underrepresented groups and will thereby improve the diversity of the cybersecurity workforce. Based at cypress college, a hispanic serving institution (HSI), this project will build on a previous NSF-funded project, called pace: pathway to advance cybersecurity education (NSF award due-1902519), which developed a pathway from high school (as early as 9TH grade) with multiple educational and employment exit points. The new project, known as ACE ideas: advanced cybersecurity education for industry-driven, diversity-minded, early aged students, has two main goals: (1) update and augment the pace cybersecurity courses to include project-based learning, internships, soft skills, and focused preparation for industry certification exams and (2) build program enrollment, persistence, and completion through activities with an emphasis on students from underrepresented groups. In particular, the investigators will work closely with a business and industry leadership team (bilt) to align the curriculum with the needs of employers, develop internships, and integrate project-based learning. Other activities will include developing an eportfolio system for students, developing an industry mentorship program for students, engaging high school students in cyberpatriot and other competitions, and offering workshops on inclusive practices to high school teachers and counselors and college faculty. 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.- subawards are not planned for this award.