Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | OCTOBER 28, 2024 21 a way that is essential to keeping the security of our country top of mind," said Steven Minkler, CCSU's dean of engineering, science and technology. Real-world experience The new hall is equipped with network devices, security appliances and servers for students to practice networking and cybersecurity skills. Labs operate in an isolated environ- ment, in which students can deploy malware and study its behavior, without infecting live systems, Williams explained. While traditional cybersecuri- ty-training programs haven't always particular, is one of the places that's really in need of these skills. We're specifically trying to address, within our program, the skill-needs that we're hearing in the region." In Connecticut, there's demand for cybersecurity workers at health- care systems, insurance compa- nies, IT firms, financial institutions and utilities. But the state's high concentration of defense contrac- tors means there's also a need for workers with skills to protect national security infrastructure. "We are committed to training students to not only work in the field, but to make sure they're doing it in FOCUS | Cybersecurity Students walk through the new Cybersecurity Hall at Central Connecticut State University, which was created to help encourage more students to pursue careers in the growing industry. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS | CCSU Cracking The Code CCSU debuts new Cybersecurity Hall, partners with biz to keep pace with ever-evolving cybersecurity threats succeeded in providing hands-on experiential learning, CCSU's Cyberse- curity Hall makes it a main focus. The program requires students to complete an internship with 480 hours of work experience. Industry partners, including Ever- source, Optum, Cigna, RTX, Infosys, The Hartford and Equian, send employees from their cybersecurity departments to teach students as adjunct professors. Eversource has hired about eight CCSU graduates with cybersecurity degrees, according to Christopher Leigh, the utility company's chief information security officer, who is an adjunct professor at CCSU and serves as chair of its board of industrial advisors. The adjunct professors discuss current industry trends and provide examples of real-life cyberattacks, which help keep the curriculum up-to-date. "As I often say, the students in my class go through a four-month interview before I consider them for an internship," Leigh said. CCSU's cybersecurity program is the first in New England to receive validations from the National Security Agency for cyber-defense and cyber-operations. Rapid evolution Cybersecurity is constantly evolving, thanks in part to the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence. AI can be used as a tool for compa- nies to fight cyberattacks — or as a tool of destruction. "AI is kind of like a hammer," Williams said. "From one perspective, it's a huge advantage for being able Chris Leigh Steven Minkler By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com S even years ago, Central Connecticut State University didn't offer a cybersecurity course. By 2019, the state university enrolled 49 students in a newly formed cybersecurity program. Now, as the school unveils a dedicated Cybersecurity Hall featuring special- ized labs and equipment, the program has 164 students. The exponential growth comes as the nation sees unprecedented demand for jobs in the cybersecurity field. As cyberattacks escalate in number and complexity, businesses are scrambling to hire enough people to ensure they're protected from emerging threats and can respond in case of an intrusion. Connecticut's cybersecurity workforce currently stands at 9,841, with 4,463 openings for cybersecu- rity-related positions, according to Cyber Seek. New Britain-based CCSU is trying to help bridge the gap with a $720,000 investment in its Cybersecurity Hall, which is part of a new tech center — called the Applied Innovation Hub — on its campus. "There's a huge shortage of workers, not just in Connecticut, but across the entire country," said Chad Williams, professor and chair of CCSU's computer science department. "But the Northeast, in Continued on next page Source: Cyber Seek 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 CYBERSECURITY JOBS AND JOB OPENINGS IN CT 12K 10K 8K 6K 4K 2K 0 Chad Williams JOB OPENINGS JOBS

• Cover