The

502 Project (1.1, 1.2)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Teaching & Learning> Increase the Number of Degrees Awarded Within Programs of Strategic Emphasis, Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Workforce, and Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Engagement

Launched in the summer of 2022, The 502 Project is an effort to design, implement, and support a new community platform to connect local events to formal cybersecurity career pathways, providing access to local mentors, college advisors, and others who can inspire and guide future cybersecurity professionals. A reference to the “Bad Gateway” HTTP error code, The 502 Project aims to overcome a longstanding gap between aspiring practitioners and the professional community through scheduled meetings and check-ins that facilitate mentorship and progression along formal career pathways. The platform also provides an online social space for high school student organizations to connect with undergraduates currently enrolled in cybersecurity programs.

• Led by the University of South Florida in partnership with the University of West Florida, Florida International University, Tennessee Tech University, Forsyth Technical College, St. Petersburg College, Cyversity, and Cyber Florida.

• Funded by a grant from the National Security Agency’s National Centers of Academic for Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program office.

• While it only just launched, the project is already engaged with 73 mentors and 103 students.

Cyberworks: Workforce Training (1.3)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goal Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Workforce

CyberWorks is a workforce development initiative to help address our nation’s critical cyber workforce shortage by preparing career-changers for new roles as cyber defense analysts. Through expert online instruction and hands-on learning, this intensive 12-week program prepares students to enter the cybersecurity workforce as Cyber Defense Analysts. A limited number of full-tuition grants are available for those who qualify, thanks to funding provided by JPMorgan Chase and a National Centers of Academic Excellence (NCAE) grant to establish a national, certificate-based cybersecurity workforce development program called CyberSkills2Work. Most applicants can participate at no cost, making CyberWorks a life-changing opportunity for many participants.

3 cohorts, totaling 72 students, completed the program in 2021/2022