1. Program Overview
Whatcom is a significant national player in cybersecurity education and a critical partner in local workforce development. The College continues to invest in the program to match emerging industry demand for trained professionals.
Whatcom’s acclaimed Computer Information Systems (CIS) program started in 1996 and has continually evolved to reflect industry demand and standards, including the addition of a cybersecurity degree in 2013. Indicating Whatcom’s foresight, National Science Foundation (NSF) grants backed the program’s development. Enrollment has increased 50 percent in the past five years from 110 to 167 students; one out of four are veterans.
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CC is home of CyberWatch West
Whatcom is the lead institution and home of CyberWatch West, a regional cybersecurity education network funded by a $3-million NSF grant. An NSF-Advanced Technology Education center, CyberWatch West is one of only four centers in the nation dedicated to cybersecurity education. This designation acknowledges Whatcom’s expertise in the field and Technology Department Chair Corrinne Sande’s national leadership in cybersecurity education.
Program Highlights
• Cisco-certified Networking Academy
• Named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/ Cyber Defense in 2014 – one of the first community colleges in the United States to earn this distinction, with curriculum mapped to the National Security Agency’s latest requirements.
• Home of CyberWatch WestCOMMUNITY COLLEGE
Computer Information Systems/Cybersecurity
• Two pathways: a two-year Associate in Science degree in CIS and a two-year Associate in Applied Science - Transfer in Cybersecurity.
• Students graduating with a CIS degree are ready to work in roles such as network technicians, network or system administrators, or computer support.
• Students who graduate with the Cybersecurity degree can either begin their careers or transfer to Western Washington University to earn a Computer Information Systems and Security (CISS) baccalaureate degree.
• The baccalaureate partnership is one of the nation’s few community college-to-university cybersecurity degree collaborations and may soon expand to the University of Washington.
• Typical starting salaries:
$16.22/hour
, certificates
$26.60/hour, AAS-T degree
$40.81/hour, CISS bachelor’s degree
Degree Highlights
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In summer 2014, Whatcom’s CIS and Cybersecurity labs and classrooms were remodeled and more than doubled in size to 5,378 sq ft.
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The upgraded facilities include two lecture spaces, three enlarged labs, a networking/ server room and a lab tech space.
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Improved lab layout allows for increased interaction among instructors and students.
O
ther Information
To learn more about how Whatcom’s CIS and Cybersecurity programs are positively impacting the regional technology workforce and our community, please contact WCC’s Public Information Office: 360.383.3310 or pio@whatcom.ctc.edu.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
“Whatcom has quietly been establishing a reputation as a significant national player in technology education and building a level of expertise that’s setting a standard for community college cybersecurity programs. With Whatcom as a partner, we can develop core competencies of the future technology workforce and attract people and companies to our region.”
—Mark Knittel, owner, Bellingham-based Ovation Technical Services. Chairman of TAG’s Board of Directors, Member of WCC’s CIS Advisory Committee
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CC’s Role in Economic & Workforce Development
The tech industry in Whatcom County is growing at a remarkable pace: 164 percent growth in the past 20 years compared to King County’s 66 percent and the state’s 58 percent growth.*
WCC plays several roles in supporting economic and workforce development, including building the talent pipeline, upgrading skills of incumbent workers and informing the business community’s knowledge of cybersecurity issues.
To ensure curriculum anticipates industry need, the College is actively engaged with business leaders – many of whom serve on our program advisory committee – and professional organizations such as the Technology Alliance Group for Northwest Washington (TAG).
Whatcom’s expertise will benefit Bellingham’s growing technology industry by providing a well-trained workforce and helping to solidify the region’s reputation as an up-and-coming technology center.
Program Outcomes:
What Students Learn
• Identify threats and implement countermeasures to ensure network system security
• Implement and troubleshoot a variety of network topologies and protocols
• Set up and maintain medium-sized routed and switched networks
• Perform the basics of computer and network security
• Communicate professionally with customers and co-workers
• Additional skills/knowledge, depending on focus of study
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau, TAG
10-2014
