Richmond Community College hosts an annual Cyber Security Summit featuring experts in the field to educate the community about protecting devices and data from cyberattacks. Photo provided by: RCC
HAMLET — Richmond Community College has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
This prestigious award, presented in December 2023, demonstrates RichmondCC’s commitment to providing high-quality cybersecurity education and training to our students and community.
“We’re thrilled to be able to provide this service to our customers,” said Lance Barber, Information Technology Program Coordinator. “We are honored to be recognized as a CAE-CD institution and are dedicated to continuing excellence in education and training in cybersecurity.” We are preparing our students for the challenges and opportunities in our community and are confident that our community engagement will contribute to national and global cybersecurity efforts.”
As a CAE-CD institution, RichmondCC offers a variety of programs and courses that prepare students for careers in the fast-growing and dynamic field of cybersecurity. One of these programs is a 14-week bootcamp-style networking/security course funded by an NSA grant from the Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP) Community College Consortium (CCN). Upon successful completion of the course, students will have earned her industry-recognized Network+ and Security+ certifications. Additionally, certification vouchers and training materials are provided as part of the low course fee of approximately $200.
Thanks to this affordable and accessible opportunity, enrollment in this course has increased and set a record in the fall of 2023.
Another program that incorporates cybersecurity training is the Electric Utility and Substation Relay Technology (EUSRT) program. This is a program that prepares students for careers in the power industry. RichmondCC has added a new course to its program covering the fundamentals of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and their security implications.this
This course is mandatory for EUSRT students as it equips them with the skills and knowledge to protect critical infrastructure from cyber threats.
RichmondCC also has the CAE-CD designation because it works with the community and local industry to raise awareness and encourage collaboration on cybersecurity issues. Richmond CC plays a leading role in the CCN Utilities Sector Group, which aims to develop and share best practices and resources for cybersecurity education and workforce development in the utility sector.
RichmondCC also hosts an annual Cyber Security Summit, a free, open event featuring guest speakers, workshops, and demonstrations on a variety of cybersecurity topics.
At the last Cyber Security Summit in October 2023, keynote speakers were Rob Carson, founder and CEO of Semper Sec, and Bradley Stine, CEO and co-founder of Semper Sec. The event concluded with a free laptop security check for attendees, who learned how to protect their devices and data from cyberattacks.