The Old Dominion University School of Continuing Education announced the launch of a new non-credit cybersecurity certificate program, the Cybersecurity Bootcamp, enabled by a partnership with HackerU, an industry-leading cybersecurity education provider. The program will train local students in professional cybersecurity skills and put them on track to pursue career opportunities in a field experiencing a massive shortage of skilled workers.
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“Leveraging our expertise to address the tech talent shortfall in Hampton Roads is important, and cybersecurity training is one area where we can offer tremendous help,” said Renee Felts, assistant vice president for the School of Continuing Education at ODU. “Though we realize that not all of our students are seeking a degree, working with HackerU, we can offer short-term, non-credit training to get individuals employed in a shorter amount of time and also assist with increasing the tech talent pipeline in our region.”
The inaugural program will begin in November and provide over 400 hours of rigorous coursework for enrolled students to complete in 10 months. The program provides students with access to job placement assistance, a dedicated cybersecurity academic advisor, success manager and career coaches to refine their soft skills. These resources are built into the program to provide students increased opportunities to land one of the nearly 5,000 cybersecurity job openings in Hampton Roads upon program completion.
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“We are thrilled to bring this top-notch cybersecurity training program to Hampton Roads, an area with a unique need for qualified cyber professionals,” said Dan Vigdor, co-founder and executive chairman of HackerU. “Because the Hampton Roads area is home to many government contractors and businesses that engage in federal work, the demand for local cybersecurity professionals is higher than average. We’re excited to help bridge that skills gap.”
Cybersecurity Bootcamp students at ODU’s School of Continuing Education will be required to complete coursework on cyber infrastructure and technologies, ethical hacking, and threat hunting and digital forensics, and be prepared to sit for some of the industry’s top certification exams. “We’re excited to partner with Old Dominion University to offer a high-quality, rigorous curriculum for students who are interested in gaining a cybersecurity skillset that’s fit for the current job market,” said Ayal Stern, HackerU’s CEO. “And because this program does not require students to have prior experience in the field, we believe that this is a more accessible opportunity that will establish new job pathways for local residents.”