Maryland Association of Community Colleges & BCR Cyber Receive Accelerating Cyber Careers Grant

Provides Funding for Training & Placement Activities of the Cyber Workforce Accelerator

BALTIMORE, MD, UNITED STATES, November 21, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC), the advocate and unified voice for Maryland’s 16 community colleges, and BCR Cyber, a leading provider of comprehensive cybersecurity training and job placement services, have been awarded $1.8 million through the Accelerating Cyber Careers (ACC) grant by the Maryland Department of Labor.

The Maryland Department of Labor, in partnership with the Governor’s Workforce Development Board and the Department of Information Technology, issues this grant funding to support the training and placement activities of the Cyber Workforce Accelerator, leveraging the previously funded 10 BCR Cyber Series 3000 Cyber Ranges currently in development for Maryland community colleges. This program is the inaugural grant issued as a part of the Talent Innovation Program passed last legislative session (HB 1128, CH. 421, Acts of 2024).

Developed by MACC and BCR Cyber, the Cyber Workforce Accelerator provides all 16 of Maryland’s community colleges with access to BCR Cyber Series 3000 Cyber Ranges that deliver advanced experiential training and education technology to train and certify thousands of entry-level IT and cyber practitioners.

“MACC, BCR Cyber, and Maryland’s 13 local workforce boards through the MWA have established an innovative public-private partnership to address the Maryland cybersecurity workforce shortage,” says Michael Spector, President, BCR Cyber. “By leveraging extensive current federal, state, and local investment in cyber ranges, this partnership offers a statewide solution that will dramatically increase Maryland’s capacity to generate cyber workforce talent in a statewide unified program."

The training and placement activities supported by ACC represent the next logical expansion of the existing statewide MACC/BCR Cyber workforce development programs. The availability of existing infrastructure, training material, workforce development experience, and demonstrated placement success of the MACC/BCR Cyber team highlights the team’s capabilities.

This funding will also support the creation of a Maryland SOC Analyst Registered Apprenticeship. The Maryland Workforce Association (MWA) will work with the Maryland Department of Labor to draft standards of apprenticeship for the consideration of the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council. According to recent work commissioned by the Cyber Maryland group, there is an acute shortage of SOC analysts in the Maryland region and this program will help train and identify candidates for these positions.

"We are proud to partner with BCR Cyber and Maryland's community colleges on this grant. This is another example of how Maryland's local workforce systems mobilize to meet the needs of industry. We look forward to building apprenticeship opportunities for SOC analysts and Maryland growing cyber workforce," says Kirkland Murray, President of the MWA.

“By meeting students and trainees where they are in life, this partnership enhances equity and diversity by removing barriers to education and training that many face,” adds Spector. “This partnership between community colleges, workforce boards, and the private sector ensures that those who want to participate and are qualified will have the ability to receive this training and benefit from this growing sector of the economy.”

This latest grant brings the total amount awarded year to date for the Cyber Workforce Accelerator to $5.4 million.

About Maryland Association of Community Colleges
Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC) is an advocate for Maryland’s 16 community colleges and the needs of the students they serve. State-of-the-art facilities, flexible curricula, and award-winning teaching staff serve full- and part-time students pursuing academic degrees, career certifications, and enrichment courses at 22 campuses and 1000+ learning sites statewide. See more at https://mdacc.org/

About BCR Cyber
Established in 2017, BCR Cyber (formerly Baltimore Cyber Range) is dedicated to delivering exceptional training solutions to both government and commercial clients. BCR Cyber has trained thousands of individuals and successfully placed over 83 percent into employment. The BCR Cyber Range is the first such facility in the world specifically dedicated to workforce development in the cybersecurity sector. BCR Cyber provides trainees with the most advanced cybersecurity strategies and techniques in an environment that simulates real threats in real-time. The range's hands-on training encompasses cyber threat detection, compromise mitigation, and system remediation, and is complemented by placement services. For more information, visit www.bcrcyber.com.

About the Maryland Workforce Association
The Maryland Workforce Association is made up of 13 local workforce directors in Maryland. The association collaborates with the Maryland Department of Labor and other state workforce partners to foster regional and statewide collaboration and share practices. See more at https://marylandworkforceassociation.org/

Matthew Pugh
Pugh & Tiller PR for BCR Cyber
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