Press Release

September 29, 2014
Cardin, Mikulski Announce Nearly $15 Million to Strengthen Cyber Job Training at Maryland Community Colleges

WASHINGTONU.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced that the Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded $14,957,899 in federal funding to fourteen Maryland community colleges as part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) initiative. The TAACCCT program allows community colleges and other institutions to expand their ability to provide quality education and job training programs in two years or less.

 

Of the nearly $15 million, Montgomery College received $5,371,743 to lead and fund the Cyber- Technology Pathways Across Maryland (CPAM) Consortium. CPAM is comprised of fourteen Maryland community colleges.  It seeks to train and educate Trade Adjustment Assistance workers, veterans, the un- and –under employed and low skilled adults. The Consortium will work to connect participants with employers looking to fill thousands of unfilled job openings. CPAM focuses on bringing women and other underrepresented populations into the growing fields of cyber technology and cyber security.

 

“Maryland is at the epicenter of cyber technology innovation. I am proud of our network of community colleges that are an integral part of training students in the fields that are in-demand right now. Federal investment in inventive programs like CPAM increase the value of a two-year degree while strengthening our economy,” said Senator Cardin. “I applaud Labor Sectary Tom Perez for his continued commitment to creating jobs and improving the educational opportunities for our workforce.”

 

“Maryland is the global epicenter of cyber security, developing the cyber workforce of today to fill cyber jobs that are available now,” Senator Mikulski said. “I went to bat for Maryland’s community colleges along with Team Maryland to secure this federal funding as a down-payment for our middle class. It will help grow our cybersecurity workforce, supporting jobs today and jobs tomorrow. Through cyber education, innovation and hands-on training, we will prepare Maryland students to be our first line of defense against cyber-attacks, making our nation safer and Maryland’s economy stronger.”

 

Grantees will use this funding for a variety of activities, including:

  • hiring or training instructors to expand their capacity to offer in-demand courses or certifications,
  • leveraging online learning to accelerate skills attainment,
  • developing new curricula and training models to add additional classes and certifications,
  • purchasing new equipment to ensure students train on what employers actually use,
  • soliciting feedback from local employers and designing new programs based on their needs, and
  • expanding career pathways in which stackable credentials are linked to industry skills that lead participants to higher-skill jobs. 

 

The federal funding comes as part of the final $450 million in grants to community colleges nationwide. This is the final round of the four-year, nearly $2 billion TAACCCT initiative.

 

Cyber- Technology Pathways Across Maryland Consortium Members include:  Allegany College of Maryland, Anne Arundel Community College, Baltimore City Community College, Carroll County Community College, College of Southern Maryland, Community College of Baltimore County ,Frederick Community College, Garrett Community College, Hagerstown Community College, Harford Community College,  Howard Community College, Montgomery College, Prince George’s Community College, and War-Wic Community College.  

 

 

  

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