The Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC) has acquired $935,680 from the state Department of Commerce to arrange cyber ranges at faculties and universities throughout the state to assist develop the cybersecurity workforce.
The new funding can be mixed with $2 million in federal matching funds allotted to a cybersecurity workforce improvement program that MACC launched earlier this 12 months in partnership with cybersecurity coaching firm BCR Cyber (previously the Baltimore Cyber Range), in accordance with a information launch final week. In addition to the cyber vary (a digital setting that simulates real-world cybersecurity eventualities), the funding may even cowl associated workers coaching, scholar schooling and infrastructure updates.
MACC works with 16 group faculties serving a whole lot of hundreds of scholars, and Dr. Brad Phillips, govt director of the faculty, mentioned the funding will place Maryland as a frontrunner in cybersecurity workforce improvement.
“This will make Maryland the primary state within the nation to make use of capturing vary know-how for workforce improvement, accelerating our efforts to diversify our workforce and shut the workforce abilities hole,” he mentioned in a public assertion. “I strongly imagine our efforts ought to function a mannequin for the remainder of the nation.”
The BCR Cyber Range is scheduled to be deployed to the college in April 2025, in accordance with a information launch.
The cybersecurity trade is experiencing a expertise scarcity on account of a scarcity of simulation coaching. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cyber Range Guide revealed in September 2023, simulation coaching in cybersecurity lags behind fields reminiscent of aerospace, enterprise and healthcare.
BCR Cyber President Michael Spector hailed the brand new public-private partnership as a priceless increase to the much-needed workforce.
“Working with MACC to deploy these extra cyber ranges won’t solely assist meet the crucial have to fill Maryland’s greater than 30,000 cybersecurity jobs, however it’s going to additionally create hundreds of doubtless life-changing profession alternatives for Marylanders,” he mentioned in an official assertion.
BCR Cyber has robust relationships with each the non-public and public sectors. Over the previous 5 years, the corporate has labored with native authorities packages and universities to supply cybersecurity coaching and certification to greater than 1,000 Maryland residents, in accordance with a information launch. It can be the one firm to conduct technical proficiency testing for federal businesses that use third-party cloud storage. Since its founding in 2017, the corporate has partnered with greater than 35 firms and authorities businesses, and these companions will present enter into course content material for MACC’s accelerator program and recruit college students for entry-level cybersecurity positions.
Other Grants
The Maryland Department of Commerce this week awarded 11 grants value a complete of $9 million to tech improvements as a part of the state’s “Build Our Future” grant program, which helps know-how tasks by native governments, schooling establishments and personal firms.
Two different Maryland establishments of upper schooling additionally acquired grants this week: the University of Maryland was awarded $118,600 for startup schooling in quantum applied sciences, and Johns Hopkins University was awarded $1.25 million for a 12,000-square-foot discovery and manufacturing middle for renewable power.
“These grants not solely assist particular person companies develop, however in addition they assist set up the instruments and assets to assist rising industries,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore mentioned in an official assertion.