UAlbany Partners to Provide Cybersecurity Training for Veterans and First Responders
ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 7, 2023) — The University at Albany’s School of Business is partnering with seven other institutions to provide educational programs in cybersecurity for veterans and first responders.
Through a $2.5 million grant from the National Security Agency (NSA), UAlbany joins the Rochester Institute of Technology, Anne Arundel Community College, Louisiana State University, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, Iowa State University, Norfolk State University, and University of North Florida in helping to transition veterans into high-demand civilian cybersecurity careers.
Thirty-six industry partners have also signed on for the workforce development program.
RIT is leading the coalition in developing certificate programs that build and validate focused skills in governance, risk and compliance. At UAlbany, the School of Business is currently enrolling students for a microcredential in Cybersecurity Risk and Auditing. The program is especially suited for transitioning individuals who are looking to work in cybersecurity. At the conclusion of the microcredential, students are ready for the Certified Information Security Auditor exam offered by ISACA (formerly the Information Systems Audit and Control Association).
The pilot program will make the training free for transitioning veterans and first responders.
“With cybercrime continuing to rise, there is an equally high demand for a trained cybersecurity workforce,” said Sanjay Goel, professor and chair of Information Security and Digital Forensics at the School of Business. “This vital pilot program will provide critical training for military members and first responders who have a deep understanding of the cyber challenges facing our nation and the world.”
“We have this deep and broad need for cybersecurity workers and we have about 200,000 transitioning military members every year who have military service that could be congruent to these careers,” said Justin Pelletier, coalition co-lead and director of the Cyber Range and Training Center at RIT. “They have a deeper understanding of what right looks like, and they are used to assessing needs and solving security problems. Maybe they don’t have the right vocabulary, but after five or 10 years in the military, they have the foundation.”
With a focus on preparing participants for careers in auditing and compliance, potential career paths include IT auditor, a title with an annual salary of more than $100,000 per year with about 8,600 current open positions across the country. Other potential job titles include cybersecurity consultant or penetration and vulnerability tester.
“With programs in digital forensics and cybersecurity, information security and an MBA with a concentration in cybersecurity, UAlbany’s School of Business is providing the education and training needed to meet the challenges facing governments and industries globally,” said Kevin Williams, interim dean of the School of Business. “We are proud to partner with NSA, RIT and the coalition of institutions to help transition veterans and first responders into these critically important careers.”
NSA funding supports scholarships for qualified participants, which will lead to 250 new certifications. The program funding comes through the NSA’s National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program. In October, UAlbany’s undergraduate program in digital forensics was recognized as a Center of Academic Excellence – Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE) institution through the National Information Assurance Education Training Program (NIETP). Sponsored by NSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), NIETP operates under national authority as the manager for cyber defense education and training relating to national security systems.