WICOMICO CO. - Wor-Wic Community College announced they are offering free online training for Maryland residents working towards employment in the IT/cybersecurity field, through a partnership with the Cyber Workforce Accelerator (CWA) program.
The course is 40 hours of online coursework, then eight hours of real-life simulations, working with an instructor on the BCR Cyber Series 3000 Cyber Range, which is a practice area where participants find, fix, and stop fake computer attacks. After finishing the course and passing an exam, students will earn the SOC Operations Analyst I certification, which is recognized by the state of Maryland, and can help secure an entry-level cybersecurity job.
Within the course, students will learn how to understand computer threats, how computer networks function, how to use Linux computer commands, how computer attackers typically behave, and more.
To qualify for the program, prospective students must:
- Be a Maryland resident and a U.S. citizen
- Be 18 years or older
- Have no criminal convictions
- Have or be working toward an associate degree in IT or cybersecurity, or have two of these certifications already: CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and/or CompTIA Security+
- Be actively seeking employment in IT/cybersecurity
Wor-Wic says for those interested but do not meet the above requirements, CompTIA training is also available at the college, and financial assistance may be available to those who qualify.
The CWA program looks to expand Maryland's cybersecurity professionals by partnering with the state's community colleges and providing job-seekers with hands-on training, according to Wor-Wic.