The rapid growth of Utah’s workforce has led to an increasing demand for cybersecurity professionals throughout the state. There are over 400,000 open cybersecurity jobs nationwide, 5,000 of which are based in Utah. To meet surging demand, our partners at Southern Utah University (SUU) have created a new cybersecurity apprenticeship program to provide cyber workforce support to employers throughout the state. SUU established the program following a $4 million grant awarded by the US Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The apprenticeship program is built to provide cybersecurity to small businesses that need access to additional cybersecurity resources at an affordable cost.

Small businesses are at a much higher risk of experiencing cyberattacks compared to their larger counterparts. According to a report by the Small Business Administration, in 2020 alone, small businesses faced over 700,000 cyberattacks resulting in 7.8 billion dollars in damages. Mitigating these risks does not have to involve radically changing your business. Many basic cybersecurity practices can be implemented by an employee with a few hours of training and a basic comprehension of network topology. SUU’s program helps businesses bring employees up to speed and increase their cyber readiness without breaking the bank.

“Most businesses have a general understanding of why they need a security program.

The SUU BASIC (Building Apprenticeships In Cybersecurity) Program provides great answers to what they need to do and how to do it,” says Dave Henrie, Project Navigator at SUU. “We can facilitate apprenticeships in cybersecurity designed to upskill current employees within those organizations or assist them with the creation of an entry-level apprenticeship position supplemented with custom-vetted interviewees from our list of program participants.”

This program provides Utah businesses with two different pathways to develop or hire cybersecurity talent. The first pathway allows employers to train an existing employee in industry standards through completely remote coursework taught by SUU faculty and staff. The coursework offered through this pathway is also self-paced which provides a level of flexibility not offered by traditional cybersecurity programs. The course includes:

- Three different courses that focus on various subsets of cybersecurity. This includes courses in systems security, basic cryptography, ethical hacking, penetration testing, digital forensics, cybercrime, and defensive security. These programs are the basic skills needed to protect your business and adopt the industry standards surrounding cyber hygiene.

- Access to a cybersecurity mentor that helps graduated students implement what they learned throughout their courses. Each mentor has decades of experience working in cybersecurity, as well as critical cyber frameworks including the NIST framework, CIS Controls, and more!

The next pathway allows local businesses to outsource the hiring and training of employees through an apprenticeship model. This program connects businesses with local cyber talent and provides them with the experience and mentorship they need to transition into a full entry-level position. This takes away the hassle of posting job openings, advertising the position, and searching through potential candidates. This pathway alternatively connects you with a vetted, trained, and available candidate as soon as a position opens. SUU will also continue to mentor and train the candidates following their hire through their network of industry mentors with experience in critical cyber frameworks.

When asked how these mentors impact the program, Tyler Wandry, the Associate Project Director of the SUU Cyber Program says, “Our mentors are actively working within the industry and have decades of experience working within all varieties of cybersecurity frameworks (including NIST SP 800-171 and CSF) required by State and Federal agencies, along with insurance companies. Our apprentices are directly networked with CMMC and NIST experts, elevating the training our program graduates receive. Our mentors also help our students access their company’s security needs and build the framework for the competencies found in the apprenticeship.”

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SUU ‘s Cybersecurity Apprentice Program is the perfect way for small businesses to increase their level of cyber preparedness. By providing organizations with the option to train an existing employee or by bringing a new one on, the university is redefining cybersecurity education in Utah. These efforts will greatly benefit our industry, and prepare our workforce for the next generation of cybersecurity threats.

To get further information on SUU’s program, visit their website here!

47G is the nation’s premier ecosystem for aerospace, defense and cyber companies in Utah, with a mission to foster talent, fund entrepreneurship and fuel innovation. The 47G ecosystem comprises over 140 companies and 20 academic institutions working to solve critical national security challenges. Want to learn more? Visit the website at 47G.org, follow 47G on LinkedIn and X, and subscribe to 47G’s YouTube channel.

The SUU program is funded 70%($3,977,088) by a grant awarded by the US Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration; and 30%($1,789,690) from non-federal entity resources.

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