A collaboration that aims to prepare at-risk students and low-income residents for careers in IT-cybersecurity received a two-year, $2.4 million federal grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program.
Fresno State was one of five minority-serving institutions to receive a portion of over $18.5 million in “Internet for All” funding meant to expand community technology hubs, upgrade classroom technology and increase digital literacy skills. One other California State University campus, Dominguez Hills, also received funding, along with three other institutions in Missouri, Louisiana and Alabama.
“Fresno County is an area of concentrated poverty,” said Keith Clement, professor of criminology at Fresno State and co-principal investigator on the grant, “SOFT START: IT-Cybersecurity Workforce Education Collaborative.”
“The purpose of this grant is to provide digital literacy and awareness training to anchor communities in the Fresno County area,” Clement said.
“Anchor communities,” according to Clement, are areas in Fresno County marked by high poverty, high unemployment and low educational attainment.
The project partners Fresno State with Fresno City College and the Fresno County Public Library system.
Participants can choose from a variety of on- and off-ramps from the program, such as basic digital literacy certificates at the Fresno County Library, an intermediate cyber technician certificate at Fresno City College, or an advanced cybersecurity certificate at Fresno State, according to Amith Belman, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at Fresno State and co-principal investigator on the grant.
“Participants at any level of interest and career goals can find a suitable configuration that will greatly help their employability,” Belman said.
The digital skills certificates, “Basic Digital Skills” and “Digital and Information Literacy,” will consist of four, three-hour sessions on Saturday mornings. Each certificate program will be offered six times per year at county library sites in Fresno and Fowler. The digital certificates will become part of the regular programming of the Fresno County Public Library and will be offered at no cost.
“The way we are doing this is by setting up a series of interlocking and linked cybersecurity and IT education programs,” Clement said. “We’re looking to serve about 2,400 participants in Fresno County.”
It’s all part of a carefully planned pipeline of IT-cybersecurity workforce development, Clement added, “democratizing access to IT education and careers.”
Fresno City College will offer tuition-free cybersecurity boot camps that prepare students for the college’s digital literacy program, which culminates in a six-unit Cyber Technician Specialist certificate. Certification comes at a cost of $289, and Fresno City College counselors will assist residents with financial aid planning. The Cyber Technician Specialist certificate will prepare 100 people for entry-level jobs.
For its part, Fresno State will design three cybersecurity certificates (beginning, intermediate and advanced) aligned with the needs of the region’s employers. The Division of Continuing and Global Education at Fresno State will house the beginning and intermediate certificates, which will be offered at no cost to participants who meet residency requirements. Fresno State’s College of Science and Mathematics will house the advanced certificate, which will become part of the university’s regular course offerings.
“The Provost’s Office throws full support behind these high-value and exciting initiatives undertaken by the university’s faculy,” said Dr. Gil Harootunian, executive director for university initiatives. “I encourage all faculty to reach out for enhanced support if they are about to embark on a major proposal.”
Belman called the collaborative effort a “right thing, right time, right place” kind of opportunity that will have a “huge community impact” by equipping residents with foundational to advanced cybersecurity knowledge that will be a highly desired skill-set in all jobs of the future.
“Through this collaboration we have formed a strong network of individuals and institutions that will continue to bring more such opportunities to our Central Valley,” he said.
