(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Cybersecurity program prepares students for a life of digital safety and protection.
Not only does the curriculum equip students for a vastly growing occupation, but the program at the Harlingen campus is also recognized by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security as one of the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense for two-year education.
Some of the qualifications that an institution needs to achieve for the recognition are establishing standards for cybersecurity curriculum and academic excellence, competency development among students and faculty, and essential engagement in solutions to challenges facing cybersecurity education, among others.
Cybersecurity instructor Cesar Ibarra said that TSTC’s standards for the program live up to these expectations.
“Our cybersecurity program is recognized for having the necessary skill set for current cybersecurity job openings and emerging technology environments,” he said.
According to CyberSeek.org, there are currently just over 47,000 cybersecurity jobs in Texas alone, and the demand is not slowing down.
“There is a current and projected high demand for cybersecurity professionals,” said Norma Colunga-Hernandez, TSTC’s statewide chair of the Cybersecurity department.
The recognition is not permanent, and the program will need to reapply in 2023. Even so, Ibarra said that the field of cybersecurity is here to stay.
“Cybersecurity is not just important, it’s become a way of life,” he said. “We are already living in a digital world and have a digital life.”
TSTC recently introduced a fast-paced Workforce Training cybersecurity boot camp that will feature eight industry-grade foundational courses to equip students with the knowledge they need to get them into the world of cybersecurity. To learn more, visit https://tstc.edu/workforce/bootcamps.
February is Career and Technical Education Month.During this month, TSTC is proud to showcase the students, staff and faculty who support our mission of being the “most sophisticated technical institute in the country” every day. To learn more about the programs offered at TSTC, go to tstc.edu/programs.
