Boise State University wants to provide cybersecurity resources to rural organizations while also training future industry professionals.
That’s the goal of Cyberdome, a new initiative run by faculty, staff, and students in partnership with Stellar Cyber as part of the university’s Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity.
Cyberdome goes a step beyond other degree programs in cybersecurity by empowering students with real-world experience, working with clients and companies such as PlexTrac prior to entering the job market.
There are more than 500,000 openings for cybersecurity jobs, but most entry-level positions require two to three years of experience in addition to a bachelors or masters degree.
Ed Vasko, director of the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity, began teaching in 2020 after more than 30 years of experience in cybersecurity. He sought to build a center like the Cyberdome to equip students with required competencies to enter the cybersecurity workforce. Vasko said students are rarely given opportunities to apply their skills with clients in real-time.
The Cyberdome is also beneficial for rural clients who do not have the cybersecurity capability of their peers in metropolitan areas like Seattle. Rural areas can be more susceptible to attacks given lack of access to resources.
“We’re not only giving our students real world experience, we’re helping our rural communities no longer be the weakest link in the chain,” Vasko said.
Cyberdome isn’t only for penetration testers and other highly technical students. Governance, risk, and compliance students also have the opportunity to engage with clients through real-world experience conducting risk assessments and audits.
The Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission’s Higher Education Research Council awarded the Cyberdome $2.1 million, or $700,000 per year over three years, to support the program. The Idaho Workforce Development Council also provided $267,000 per year for three years to fund stipends for 50 to 60 students.
Other universities across the Pacific Northwest are also funding new cybersecurity education programs. Washington State University and Eastern Washington University recently landed more than $2 million each from the state’s 2022 supplemental operating budget to create related degree programs.
