On Monday Aug. 16, leaders from Augusta University and Augusta Technical College celebrated the Cybersecurity to Information Technology Pathway at the Georgia Cyber Center.
The program gives ATC students in the Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity a streamlined pathway into AU’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program.
Students can take advantage of program-specific advising and course articulation designed to aid them in completing both degrees.
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“The need for cybersecurity professionals is only increasing across the state and nation. Cooperation between institutions of higher education is imperative as we prepare the students of today to become the workforce of tomorrow,” said Augusta University President Brooks Keel. “We are grateful to Augusta Technical College for an ongoing and growing partnership with AU’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences and the Georgia Cyber Center as we uphold Augusta’s reputation as the cyber capital of Georgia.”
In an August 2021 interview, Keel said that what’s good for Augusta has always been what’s good for the university and vice-versa, and he predicted that Augustans would continue to see partnerships between the school and the organizations populating the CSRA.
“Augusta Technical College is honored to partner with Augusta University in delivering a seamless transfer pathway for students to complete both their associate and now bachelor’s degree at the Georgia Cyber Center,” said Augusta Tech President Jermaine Whirl. “This pathway program adds to the CSRA’s nationally-recognized cyber ecosystem of transformative innovation, where government/military, education and private industries collide. Students completing both their associate and bachelor’s degrees will be technically astute and research-oriented to solve global problems in the ever changing world of cybersecurity.”
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In June 2021, Augusta University partnered with the University of West Florida to host a CyberSkills2Work program in Augusta. That program is designed to aid military, first responders and veterans into cybersecurity-based roles throughout the U.S.
Michael Nowatkowski, head of AU’s Cyber Program of Study, said that according to Cyberseek.org, a cybersecurity job aggregator, more than 500,000 cybersecurity positions are available across the country.
Cyber students at both AU and ATC take classes at the Georgia Cyber Center, and the footprint of cybersecurity training and workforce-building is steadily increasing in the CSRA since the construction of the Cyber Center in 2018.
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For the students attending classes at the Georgia Cyber Center, an on-site internship coordinator works with students to help them secure internship opportunities with industry partners.
To apply for the Cybersecurity to Information Technology Pathway at Augusta University, Augusta Technical College students must complete the ATC transient application. Upon completion, students must determine which course(s) they will take challenge exams for in order to earn credit. Students must pass challenge exams with a score of 70 or higher to receive credit for the appropriate course, per a press release from Augusta University.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com.
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