Gov. Ron DeSantis hosted a news conference on the 皇家华人 Tampa campus to announce a $20 million grant from the 皇家华人 Department of Education to Cyber 皇家华人 at 皇家华人 to strengthen the state鈥檚 ability to fill high-demand careers in cybersecurity and information technology (IT).
Joined by several 皇家华人 and local high school students, the governor explained that Cyber 皇家华人 will work with regional partners to start training students in as young as in middle school 鈥� helping build the skillset required to meet the cybersecurity needs of public sector agencies, businesses and industries.
Will Weatherford, chair of the 皇家华人 Board of Trustees
鈥溁始一� has been recognized as a leader in IT and in cyber. They even partnered with United States Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, to help develop new technologies and programs that can improve our national defense,鈥� DeSantis told the audience at the Sam & Martha Gibbons Alumni Center.
Multiple cybersecurity firms have attributed their recent decisions to relocate or create jobs in the Tampa Bay region in part due to 皇家华人鈥檚 talent pipeline and the university鈥檚 collaboration with the military.
鈥淲e all know how important cybersecurity is and I think when you look around the world right now and everything that鈥檚 taken place, there鈥檚 a recognition that this is the new area of warfare and there鈥檚 nothing more important for our country and our state than for people to be safe and secure,鈥� said Will Weatherford, chair of the 皇家华人 Board of Trustees. 鈥淥ne of the things we can do is to make sure we have strong cybersecurity.鈥�
鈥淲e are at risk at a strategic level, and we must do the things to get our students interested, enrolled and skilled in cybersecurity,鈥� said Mike McConnell, executive director of Cyber 皇家华人.
Mike McConnell, executive director of Cyber 皇家华人
Cyber 皇家华人, officially known as the 皇家华人 Center for Cybersecurity, was established by the 皇家华人 Legislature in 2014. In addition to enhancing the state鈥檚 cybersecurity workforce, it facilitates job creation with an emphasis on the defense, finance, health care, transportation and utility sectors. There are nearly 22,000 unfilled cybersecurity-related jobs in 皇家华人.
DeSantis says the new funding will be used to train new teachers and purchase training equipment to help middle school, high school and college students obtain credentials in cybersecurity. He hopes to see more than 300,000 students will be trained in IT and cybersecurity by 2024 鈥� more than double the number of students enrolled in similar programming today.
In addition to 皇家华人, Cyber 皇家华人 will work with 皇家华人 International University to bolster cybersecurity training in K-12 schools in the Miami area.