MHCC Celebrated Cybersecurity Awareness Month
It’s estimated that every 11 seconds, a business falls victim to a cyberattack, according to leading researcher Cybersecurity Ventures. With increased sophistication of cyberattacks, more activities being conducted online, not to mention the rapid proliferation of AI, cybersecurity is going to be a growing concern for businesses in the near future.
To help meet the community demand for trained cybersecurity experts, Mt. Hood Community College just became the first community college in Oregon to launch a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in cybersecurity.
Classes began at the end of September, just in time for October’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Students are learning the basics of cybersecurity, developing skills necessary to protect digital assets, adhere to an organization’s cybersecurity requirements, and will also get trained in secure programming.
"Cybersecurity is more than a technical issue—it's a critical responsibility we all share in today's digital world. As we celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it’s very fitting that the college is launching this first of its kind program in Oregon, said MHCC President Dr. Lisa Skari. “This program equips students with the skills needed to tackle the evolving threats of our time while strengthening the security of our communities and industries."
The future looks bright for those who pursue the cybersecurity path.
“Cybersecurity is a component of everyone’s life, and the degree is applicable to every type of business,” says Kristin Lima, Ed.D., dean of applied technologies, business, and information systems at Mt. Hood Community College. “Everyone needs a cybersecurity analyst as part of their team or otherwise they are open to a lot of threats. Smaller companies are now adding cybersecurity experts.”
Indeed, Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that there are 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally.
“The great thing about someone choosing cybersecurity as their work field is that they will always be employed,” says Lima.
Career paths include roles such as security management specialists, IT project managers, database architects, information security analysts, network and computer systems administrators, and computer network architects.
“We work with the students to be able to search for jobs that align with what they’re interested in, and there are so many opportunities that are local, and in the communities, they already live in,” says Lima. Students can choose from three classroom settings: in person, on-line, or via live Zoom, which allows flexibility for those who are already working full-time or who live outside the Mt. Hood CC area—or even elsewhere in Oregon. “Our live Zoom technology is set up in such a way where you really feel like you’re a part of the room,” says Lima.
As indicated in the name, the word “applied” means that students will gain hands-on, practical experience throughout the two-year program (the college already offers an associate’s degree in cybersecurity), through experiences such as national cybersecurity competitions.
While classes started with the Fall 2024 semester, those interested still have a chance to enroll. The college offers a rolling admissions process, so students can also enroll in the winter term (which begins January 6) or spring term (which starts March 31).
“The way that it’s designed is that so many of the courses are stand-alone, you don’t need to complete them in any specific order, which means you can start whenever is
convenient for you,” adds Lima. For more information on the program, visit https://www.mhcc.edu/education-options/degrees-certificates/cybersecurity/bachelor-applied-science-cybersecurity/program-details