MARQUETTE — A new cybersecurity training hub at Northern Michigan University will accelerate talent development for the high-demand cybersecurity industry, creating jobs in the Upper Peninsula and making U.P. residents and businesses less vulnerable to attacks by hackers. Gov. Rick Snyder and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced plans to open the hub as part of the Michigan Cyber Range Network.

“There are more than 300,000 unfilled cyber jobs nationwide and 7,000 in Michigan,” said Steve VandenAvond, program manager and NMU vice president for Extended Learning and Community Engagement. “Northern is eager to lead the U.P. effort to close the talent gap in collaboration with education and industry partners. Our hub will offer accelerated paths to careers in the industry, augment NMU’s existing cyber defense academic program, and provide training and certification for professionals. The portability of cybersecurity careers makes them an ideal fit for individuals who want to be gainfully employed while enjoying the U.P.’s highly desirable lifestyle and geography.”

NMU will partner with U.P. universities, community colleges and school districts to develop innovative competency, apprenticeship and experience-based learning pathways at the secondary and post-secondary level.

“Our program will drive innovation through collaboration between education and industry,” said Dave Nyberg, NMU director of corporate engagement. “It will deliver experience-based talent development in an agile framework, elevate the awareness of cybersecurity threats and opportunities — aligning with Michigan’s interests and needs — and create an ecosystem to incubate new business innovation.”

Based on demonstrated success with previous partnerships, NMU was asked by state leaders to serve as a champion for the Marshall Plan for Talent, a $100 million investment in innovative education and training programs to prepare Michiganders for high-demand careers. NMU convened talent consortiums to develop collaborative proposals that address talent shortages in two areas, including cybersecurity. Members of the U.P. consortium focused on that industry include IBM and GRIMM, a cybersecurity research/engineering firm and advocate of connected and automated vehicles.

Nyberg said NMU is also working on the initiative with Invest UP, a privately-funded economic growth organization led by U.P. business and education leaders, and has begun exploratory conversations with other national companies that have a high demand for professionals with competencies in security platforms and cloud computing.