糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is among awarded nearly $26 million in training grants in December. These funds were announced by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas Division of Higher Education Commissioner Ken Warden, and Chief Workforce Officer Mike Rogers as part of the Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) Program. The program, funded by the Workforce Initiative Act of 2015, aims to bolster Arkansas鈥檚 workforce in key industries.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no one-size-fits-all approach to education, and the HIRED Grant Program helps us meet Arkansas students, schools, and businesses where they are,鈥� Gov. Sanders said in a press release. 鈥淭hese grants will help build the workforce of the future and make Arkansas more competitive in industries such as steel manufacturing, aerospace and defense, lithium, and cybersecurity.鈥�

The grant will support several workforce initiatives led by 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 cybersecurity, computer science, and information technology faculty. These include the development of two new certificates of proficiency in artificial intelligence and software engineering, expanding the university鈥檚 range of specialized training options.

Additionally, the funding will enhance the Certificate of Proficiency in Cyber-Informed Engineering by integrating it into the Cyber Learning Network. This consortium of seven University of Arkansas System campuses already offers a Certificate of Proficiency in Cybersecurity Fundamentals. The first course in the Cyber-Informed Engineering program, Industrial System Security, is scheduled for launch in Fall 2025.

鈥淭hese specialization tracks give students a broad range of skills to prepare for the workforce and help them identify career paths,鈥� Dr. Sandra Leiterman, director of cybersecurity education and outreach at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淐ertificates completed in a shorter timeframe allow students to enter the workforce quickly or gain new skills while already working. They also provide opportunities for career advancement and higher pay as students continue earning additional certifications.鈥�

The grant will also enable Virtual Arkansas to adapt 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Cybersecurity 1 course for concurrent enrollment, which will allow qualified high school teachers to teach the course to Arkansas high school students. Teachers who have completed 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 National Cybersecurity Teaching Academy (NCTA) will be eligible to teach these classes, having earned a graduate certificate in cybersecurity education and 18 credit hours in graduate-level education. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock aims to launch these concurrent enrollment classes by Fall 2025.

鈥淎ll of these programs are designed to make jobs more accessible and to meet the increasing demand for cybersecurity professionals in Arkansas,鈥� said Dr. Philip Huff, associate professor of cybersecurity at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淭hese early-college certificate programs help current workers upskill and prepare new workers for the job market. A key benefit is that these certificates are stackable toward a bachelor鈥檚 degree, allowing working adults to pursue education at their own pace while enhancing their career prospects.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has continued to gain a reputation as a leader in cybersecurity education. Cybersecurity Guide, a cybersecurity education website whose mission is to connect tomorrow鈥檚 cybersecurity workforce with today鈥檚 best educational and professional training options, recently named 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock 13th on the list of and was 24th on the list of . 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is the only university from Arkansas to be named on either list.

Find out more about 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 cybersecurity programs by visiting this website.

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