EDUCATION AND LEARNING

The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce, is a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused on cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. The mission of NICE is to energize and promote a robust network and an ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. NICE fulfills this mission by coordinating with government, academic, and industry partners to build on existing successful programs, facilitate change and innovation, and bring leadership and vision to increase the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals helping to keep our Nation secure.   https://www.nist.gov/itl/applied-cybersecurity/nice

The SENEDIA Internship and Work Experience Program began in 2013 as a pilot program. SENEDIA now offers paid internships year round for undergraduate and graduate-level students from RI colleges and universities. SENEDIA recruits candidates and accepted interns are placed with SENEDIA member companies.

Eligible Applicants: 2nd year Community College of Rhode Island students 4th year and graduate Rhode Island university & college students, and RI residents attending out-of-state colleges and universities Requirements: U.S. Citizen required for work in Defense contractor company Minimum 8 hours per week at host company for 10 weeks Outcomes: After participating in the internship program, students will have better understanding of business Cyber needs as well as experience for their professional resume. Skills and abilities gained will include: Experiential learning in the cyber field Preparation for a technical certification Communication skills Knowledge of business’ cyber issues For further information on our cybersecurity/IT internship program and an application, please contact: Linda Larsen, SENEDIA Director of Education Outreach, llarsen@senedia.org

Build Your Future in Cybersecurity

Pathways in Technology Early College High School Program, or P-TECH, is a new model of education helping close the gap between young people’s ambitions for college and careers and the specific skills needed by employers in high-growth industries. In a P-TECH 9-14 school, students earn a high school diploma, an industry-recognized associate degree, and gain relevant work experience in a growing field. The schools create a seamless program for students to acquire the academic, technical, and workplace skills and knowledge that employers need.

The unique culture of a P-TECH 9-14 school is built upon high expectations for students and adults alike. Students see themselves as “college students” and “on a career pathway” from the moment they begin 9th grade. Likewise, teachers, partners, and parents work together to ensure that every student graduates fully prepared for the 21st century workplace. Students have the option of completing the program in as little as four years if they opt to participate in extended day opportunities, or additional summer coursework.

The P-TECH model was co-developed by IBM, the New York Department of Education, and the City University of New York. Now, there are over 110 P-TECH schools across eight U.S. states and four countries, with six P-TECH schools in Rhode Island. SENEDIA has partnered with the Community College of Rhode Island and the Newport Public School District in a P-TECH cybersecurity initiative. This initiative is also being supported by Commerce RI and the Rhode Island Department of Education to align with the growth areas of the RI economy, and the workforce needs of RI companies.

Employers play a significant role in the P-TECH program and are the driver in the development of the students’ Workplace Learning curriculum. Here is where the students’ coursework is aligned to the specific skills and needs that have been identified by the industry. Starting in grade 9, students are paired with mentors from the business community and will remain with the student throughout the program. Students will also be placed in skills-based internships during the summer prior to their junior and senior years in order to gain practical workplace experience. Graduates of the program will then have a choice of being first in line to be considered for job opportunities within industry, or continue their studies at a four-year institution.

SENEDIA is working with our partners on this forward-looking innovative program that will prepare students to be tomorrow’s industry leaders. The students that select this pathway and accept and embrace the challenge, will be the future workforce pipeline of cybersecurity professionals who have the skills and credentials necessary, to meet the growing demand of industry here in RI.

For more information on P-TECH, please visit www.ptech.org. For further information on the Cybersecurity P-TECH program in Newport County, please contact Linda Larsen, SENEDIA Director of Education Outreach at llarsen@senedia.org.