ESCANABA — Escanaba Area Public Schools is one of five anchor districts involved in creating future employees in the cybersecurity industry. The goal is to develop 2,000 cybersecurity leaders with 10 percent of the students training in advanced cybersecurity skills.

Businesses, colleges, schools and universities across the Upper Peninsula are taking steps toward making the area known for cybersecurity talent. Together, they created the U.P. Cybersecurity Talent Consortium, led by NMU Corporate Engagement Director David Nyberg and NICE Community Schools Superintendent Bryan DeAugustine. Through Michigan’s Marshall Plan for Talent program, the consortium received almost $2.5 million to help educators develop career pathways for students going into the cybersecurity industry.

“The goal is to collaborate, to create a cybersecurity pipeline that goes from the public schools, to secondary education, to employment,” said Escanaba Superintendent Coby Fletcher. “What’s nice about this is that cybersecurity can be done from anywhere and doesn’t rely on an expensive infrastructure … we can equip students with state of the art skills, provide good jobs, and help boost our regional economy.”

The Marshall Plan for Talent program was created by the State of Michigan in 2018 to encourage partnerships between educational institutions and businesses. Escanaba applied to the Marshall Plan with the Michigan Alliance for 21st Century Talent – science, technology, engineering and math. K-12 students will be exposed to cybersecurity curriculum they can take to Bay College, Michigan Technological University, and Northern Michigan University (NMU).

“We are expecting to add specific cybersecurity modules into the K-5 computer curriculum in both districts,” said Jay Kulbertis, superintendent to Gladstone and Rapid River school districts. “… middle grades will have modules within the computer science course, and they will begin to work toward cybersecurity badging.”

The U.P. Cybersecurity Talent Consortium is currently in the process of developing specific cybersecurity curricula for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12, that will be offered at 18 school districts and four intermediate school districts.

“Each will lead to micro-credentials, or badges, that students can earn throughout their secondary education,” said Nyberg.

Bay de Noc Community College Dean of Business, Technology, and Work Force Training Cindy Carter said enrollment in cybersecurity is the highest it has ever been, partly due to the Early Middle College (EMC) program. EMC gives high school students the opportunity to accumulate college credits while getting their diploma.

“Bay has an internship component,” said Carter. “Now a student can pair up with a business and work hands-on, at the same time an employer gets a look at a potential employee. The student will graduate with a degree as well as a certification in the cybersecurity industry.”

Carter said cybersecurity is attractive to the adult learner also, veterans and career changers.

“Non-traditional students are working for a two year degree in cybersecurity. There are jobs available and it can pay well,” said Carter. “I think we’ll see this continue to grow.”

Students that start at Bay College can transfer to NMU and work toward a bachelor’s degree.

“Cybersecurity is a great field that anyone can get into. I think there’s a misperception out there that the field is too high-tech to get involved in, but anyone can do it,” said Carter.

NMU’s existing Cyber Defense and Information Assurance course expanded on May 2, 2019 with the opening of the Upper Peninsula Cybersecurity Institute. The Institute is a place to test products, train, and collaborate. Training includes live security attacks and defense exercises.

Dave Bosilovatz, DS Tech customer advocate, expressed how important it is to be protected from a cyber attack. Bosilovatz retired from teaching information technology at DSISD and is on the advisory board of the cybersecurity program at Bay College.

“Cybersecurity training needs to be done, there’s a huge need for it,” said Bosilovatz.

When he was a teacher, third grade “hackers” concerned him, but he also recognized qualified employees are hard to find in the industry.

Bosilovatz said he’s hoping there are more cyber security professionals coming out of colleges soon.