Funding & Development
College Wins Nearly $900K for Cybersecurity Bootcamp
RALEIGH, N.C. (August 20, 2024) – Wake Tech will launch a unique cybersecurity bootcamp, thanks to an $882,000 cooperative agreement from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The 30-week bootcamp, currently under development in collaboration with industry and community partners, seeks to bring STEM opportunities to students typically underrepresented in those fields.
The bootcamp will pay students $15 an hour to take classes in the fields of cybersecurity, advanced networking and wireless technologies. It is designed with a focus on mentorship by industry leaders and will include internships as well as other experiential learning activities. The bootcamp will also provide wraparound support services such as a laptop, transportation assistance and meal vouchers. The goal is to attract a diverse cohort of students, including women, veterans and minorities.
"This cooperative agreement is truly a game changer," said Dr. Keith Babuszczak, provost of IT programs at Wake Tech. "It will offer opportunities in the growing field of cybersecurity for many students who may not have had them before. Mentorship and internships are critical parts of the bootcamp design to give students a greater perspective on the field and to make sure they have the competence and confidence to work with global industry leaders."
The bootcamp is expected to launch in November. Application information will be available on the Wake Tech website in the coming weeks. Upon completion of the bootcamp, students will have the opportunity to earn five industry-recognized certifications and placement in a paid internship.
The certifications include:
- CompTIA Security+
- Cisco Certified Service Technician
- Certified Wireless IoT (Internet of Things) Solutions Administrator
- IBM Explore Emerging Tech digital badge
- TracksCN, a digital badge covering robotics, automation and cybersecurity
Those certifications may also be applied toward an associate degree in an IT-related field, such as Cybersecurity, Network Management, Cloud Infrastructure or others.
"Every company now relies on these kinds of specialized technical skills to keep operations running smoothly – and secure," said Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls. "We're extremely grateful for this generous NSF cooperative agreement and for our partners, who will help us fulfill our mission to reach students in all parts of Wake County and rally around them to go as far as their dreams, talents and resilience take them."
The project is called SENTINEL (SEcurity and Networking Training through Inclusive, Novel and Experiential Learning), supported by NSF's Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program. The curriculum, which is being developed in collaboration with IBM, NetApp, NC TECH and other industry partners, will be enhanced with job shadowing, mentoring, real world problems and realistic simulations. Students will take classes Monday through Thursday, while Fridays will be reserved for class assignments, industry visits and mentorship activities. Community partners, including Capital Area Workforce Development, Wake Invests in Women and Dorcas Ministries, will help recruit two diverse cohorts of 16 students each.
As part of the NSF ExLENT program, the bootcamp will help prepare learners to enter the workforce ready to solve the most pressing scientific and societal challenges facing the U.S. Wake Tech has received 24 NSF awards since 1978.
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Award No. 2347018.
Disclaimer: Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
