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Fresno County residents interested in a possible career in cybersecurity can learn more about the growing industry through a partnership between Fresno State and Fresno City College that kicks off Aug. 5.

Earlier this year, Fresno State announced the collaboration to prepare at-risk students and low-income residents for careers in IT cybersecurity. The university received a $2.4 million federal grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program.

“We are having a number of these courses in digital literacy and information literacy, and a cyber boot camp that is all beginning to kick off in conjunction with our friends over at Fresno City College,” said Keith Clement, professor of criminology at Fresno State and co-principal investigator on the grant.

Clement said the funding will go toward outreach in communities with concentrated poverty. The so-called SOFT START partnership also includes the Fresno County Public Library system, which will host the sessions.

The three participating library branches are the West Fresno Branch Library, Betty Rodriguez Regional Branch Library in central Fresno and the Fowler Branch Library.

According to Clement, flyers have been posted and thousands of postcards mailed to targeted communities. A QR code is available for participants to sign up and be assigned to the closest location for the training.

Marketing has also reached the Fresno State and Fresno City campuses for students interested in the courses.

“I think that’s particularly valuable because now we can serve folks, not only at the Fresno County Public Library locations but also in an online format that further increases its access and availability,” said Clement.

Students can choose different ways to participate in the program. They can earn essential digital literacy certificates at the Fresno County Library; get an intermediate cyber technician certificate at Fresno City College; or earn an advanced cybersecurity certificate at Fresno State, according to Amith Belman, an 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 two free digital skills certificates available are “Basic Digital Skills” and “Digital and Information Literacy,” each consisting of four sessions.

According to Clement, these certificates will be offered six times a year.

 

Fresno City will offer tuition-free cyber security boot camps, but certifications will cost $289. The boot camps will prepare students for the college’s digital literacy program, leading to a six-unit Cyber Technician Specialist certificate that will prepare 100 people for entry-level jobs. For the certification costs, Fresno City College counselors will help residents with financial aid planning.

Fresno State will have three cybersecurity certificates for different levels according to the needs of the region’s employers. The certificates will range from beginners to advanced and launch the first week of September.

Fresno State’s Division of Continuing and Global Education will host the beginning and intermediate certificates. They will be offered at no cost to participants who meet residency requirements. The College of Science and Mathematics will provide the advanced certificate that will become part of the university’s regular course offerings.

Clement said they are looking to serve about 2,400 participants in Fresno County.

California’s cybersecurity industry is facing a shortage of about 73,000 professionals.

Belman said through this program; they will be able to bridge the gap in the cybersecurity landscape.

The inspiration from this program sprouted from the lack of educational opportunities and the workforce training programs available in Fresno and the Central Valley.

“It’s deeply concerning. It’s important for us to note that Fresno County is part of the poorest region of the United States today. I think that a couple of the congressional districts in this area are the lowest income or wealth anywhere across the country. And the inspiration behind this is that we need to get our kids and our folks out here better prepared for the advanced, technical, modern workforce and jobs,” said Clement. “I think this is a way that the College of Science and Math and the College of Social Sciences at Fresno State are able to contribute to our university mission of service.”