USM Celebrates Public Private Partnership to Develop Cyber Security Workforce Training through Resources of UMBC Training Centers, Bowie State University
Adelphi, Md. (Oct. 18, 2016) -- The University System of Maryland (USM) is pleased to announce a partnership with two USM entities, the UMBC Training Centers and Bowie State University, that establishes the RX5 Cybersecurity Workforce Development program. RX5 is a public private partnership that aims to address the shortage in cyber industry talent and to provide United States veterans and other U.S. citizens access to meaningful careers in cyber security.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and Bowie State University are among the 12 institutions in the USM--Maryland's public system of higher education. The UMBC Training Centers is the premier provider of technical, engineering and professional skills training in the Mid-Atlantic region for individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
The partnership seeks to train a number of cohorts at each RX5 campus. After the RX5 candidates complete 18 weeks of cybersecurity training, they will be placed in a special RX5 fellowship for an additional 12 weeks of hands-on cybersecurity workforce training.
The partnership is official just as Maryland celebrates the CyberMaryland Conference 2016 on Oct. 20-21. A preview event, the Cybertini gathering at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, will be held at the Columbus Center in downtown Baltimore, 701 E. Pratt Street.
UMBC Training Centers has been successfully providing Cybersecurity Workforce Training to a number of strategic government agencies for several years. UMBC Training Centers and the Maryland Center at Bowie State University will provide highly focused skills training and practical experience to address cyber workforce training needs of the military, intelligence community, federal civilian agencies, and the commercial sector.
A critical next step toward developing a cybersecurity workforce is engaging the private sector as a strategic member of this partnership. Private industry will have a significant interest in the effort's success.
"This is a unique opportunity from the perspective of the University System of Maryland, in that the system is able to leverage the cybersecurity resources of UMBC and Bowie State together," said J. Thomas Sadowski, USM Vice Chancellor for Economic Development. "This partnership demonstrates the strength of the university system working together to address our region's cyber workforce vacuum, during these times of heightened risk to national security."
RX5 is inspired by the Cybersecurity National Workforce Training Pilot, co-founded by Captain Tim Holden, U.S. Navy Seal (Retired) to give veterans highest priority to career jobs in cyber security, with access to these job opportunities for other security clearable American citizens.
Committee members behind the public private partnership are the following: Maryland State Sen. Joanne Benson; Admiral Anthony Watson, U.S. Navy (Ret.), CEO LandMatters; Gib Mason, COO UMBC Training Centers; J. Edward Whitehead, Director U.S. RX5 P3; and Terry Lawlah, Executive Director of the Maryland Center at Bowie State University; and Sadowski of the USM.
Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu