RichmondCC: A Leader in Cyber Security Education

Jan. 24, 2024 - Richmond Community College has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Awarded in December 2023, this prestigious recognition indicates RichmondCC’s commitment to providing high-quality cyber security education and training to its students and the community.

“We are honored to be recognized as a CAE-CD institution and are dedicated to continuing excellent education and training in cyber security,” said Lance Barber, Information Technology program coordinator. “We are confident our programs and courses prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities in the cyber security field, and that our community engagement will contribute to the national and global cyber security efforts.”

As a CAE-CD institution, RichmondCC offers a variety of programs and courses that prepare students for careers in the fast-growing and dynamic field of cyber security. One of these programs is a 14-week, bootcamp style networking/security course funded by an NSA subgrant from the Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP) Community College Consortium (CCN). Upon successful completion of the course, students will have earned industry-recognized Network+ and Security+ certifications. In addition, they will have certification vouchers and training materials as part of the low, approximately $200 course fee.

Thanks to this affordable and accessible opportunity, enrollment in this course has risen and set a record in fall 2023.

Another program that incorporates cyber security training is the Electric Utility Substation & Relay Technology (EUSRT) program, which prepares students for careers in the electric power industry. RichmondCC added a new course to the program that covers the fundamentals of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and their security implications. This course is now required for EUSRT students, as it equips them with the skills and knowledge to protect the critical infrastructure from cyber threats.

RichmondCC also received the CAE-CD designation because it also engages with the community and local industry to raise awareness and foster collaboration on cyber security issues. RichmondCC has taken the lead role in the CCN Utilities Sector Group, which aims to develop and share best practices and resources for cyber security education and workforce development in the utilities sector.

RichmondCC also hosts an annual Cyber Security Summit, a free and open event that features guest speakers, workshops, and demonstrations on various topics relating to cyber security.

At the last Cyber Security Summit in October 2023, founder and CEO of Semper Sec, Rob Carson, and CEO and co-founder of Semper Sec, Bradley Stine, were the keynote speakers. The event concluded with a free laptop security check for the participants, who learned how to protect their devices and data from cyberattacks.