Page 59 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2022

Crack The Code

Cybersecurity Workforce Certificate Program
By Stephen Patrick, Marketing Coordinator at the University of Louisville

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center 2021 Data Breach Report, there were 1,862 data
breaches last year, with more than 80 percent revealing sensitive personal information. The demand for
qualified cybersecurity professionals is high, but there are not enough skilled people in cyber for the
openings. There are 1,053,468 employees working in cybersecurity in the U.S. as of February 2022.
(Cyber Seek). As of February 2022, there are 600,000 job openings in the cybersecurity industry,
meaning only 68 percent of jobs are filled. (Cyber Seek).

The Cybersecurity Workforce Certificate Program is taking these issues head-on through an innovative
online curriculum. Awarded a total of $8.3 million in grant funding from the National Centers of Academic
Excellence in Cybersecurity, UofL and its Digital Transformation Center (DTC) are leading a coalition of
universities to deploy the next generation of cybersecurity tools and professionals.

The Cybersecurity Workforce Certificate Program received an initial $6.3 million grant to back the
research and curriculum development in 2020. For the curriculum, UofL partnered with the University of
Arkansas Little Rock, the University of North Florida, the Kentucky Community and Technical College
System – Bluegrass Community and Technical College and Owensboro Community and Technical
College, and a coalition liaison from the City University of Seattle.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2022 Edition 59
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