BCC: Hackers Wanted: Bergen Offers Cybersecurity Programs

Ramsey NJ

03 April, 2022

7:41 PM

Description

Press release from Bergen Community College: March 31, 2022 PARAMUS, N.J. – The U.S. Department of Commerce has estimated the global shortage of cybersecurity professionals at more than three million, with information technology threats to individuals, organizations and businesses only escalating in their sophistication and frequency. As a leader in creating programs that respond to the needs of industry, Bergen Community College recently launched a pair of cybersecurity programs that seek to prepare students for careers in the high-paying, in-demand field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, cybersecurity professionals earn an average median salary of $103,590, while the profession will see a 33 percent growth in demand by 2030 – a rate classified as "much faster than average." "Cybersecurity provides a clear pipeline for information security graduates to high-paying, sustainable jobs," Bergen President Eric M. Friedman, Ph.D., said. "These programs reflect the College's intentional commitment to workforce development and ensuring that students succeed regardless of how they choose to enter the growing cybersecurity field." Bergen's cybersecurity offerings target two types of students: 1) those who seek to earn an A.A.S. in Cybersecurity that will propel them into a four-year college and 2) those who want intensive training that will enable them to earn recognized credentials/badges that allow them to enter the workforce immediately. The 60-credit A.A.S. in information technology with a cybersecurity specialization caters to transfer-minded students, while earning credentials through the continuing education program would appeal to the other cohort of potential entrants. Both provide students with the foundational knowledge and skill-development needed to become successful in the field of cybersecurity, according to Friedman. The president, who recently entered his second year at the state's No. 1 college for associate degree graduates, has prioritized economic development initiatives during his first 15 months. Central to this work, Friedman convened a special task force – the Bergen Community College Economic Recovery Committee – charged with creating and implementing strategies that position the institution as a catalyst for recovery from the pandemic. The committee serves in an advisory capacity to the president, providing recommendations on programs and services and developing initiatives centered around removing barriers to employment. "It's simple: Bergen means business," he said. "As a community college, we have a responsibility to serve the needs of our community and respond to gaps in education and employment. The expansion of our cybersecurity programs represents one of the many initiatives we have deployed to fill these gaps." Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state. This press release was produced by Bergen Community College. The views expressed here are the author's own.