High school and middle school students in Fairfax and surrounding counties who want to prepare for a career in cybersecurity now have an exciting new path to follow. This spring, the Volgenau School of Engineering will launch a pre-college cybersecurity program.
"We have been offering similar courses in our summer camps, but parents and students were looking for more," said Kammy Sanghera, associate professor and the program director. "They came to us and said, ‘My child has participated in all of the different camps, what's next?'"
The intensive hands-on program, taught by Volgenau School of Engineering faculty, will prepare students to apply technical skills in cybersecurity careers.
"The use and importance of information technology is expanding at a remarkable rate, resulting in a significant and widening shortage of experts in cybersecurity. Young people entering the workforce with a BS in cybersecurity will be in very high demand over the next 10 to 20 years," said Volgenau School of Engineering Dean, Ken Ball. "These graduates will play a vital role in protecting our society as we become more and more dependent on the "Internet of Things."
Students in the pre-college program will take courses focused on cybersecurity for two years, or eight quarters, for ten weekends in each. At the end of the two years, they will then complete an internship in the field of cybersecurity while still in high school.
"Our pre-college cybersecurity program is an excellent way for high school and middle school students to explore this exciting field as a possible college major, while gaining valuable knowledge and skills," said Ball.