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Attracting the Next Generation Cybersecurity Workforce (ACT)

In October 2021, Massachusetts Bay Community College (MassBay) was awarded a three-year National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE) grant in the amount of $598,712 to support Attracting the Next Generation Cybersecurity Workforce (ACT). The project aimed to diversify the cybersecurity field by recruiting, retaining, and graduating students with the knowledge and proficiencies to enter the technical workforce.

Woman in Computer Lab
Cybersecurity ACT grant logo

Through collaborations with regional industry and high school partners, the college has created an educational pipeline to encourage and support underrepresented high school students to pursue a cybersecurity degree. The student’s educational experience is anchored by the ACT Cyber Range, a controlled environment that simulates a variety of security incidents where students practice and learn how to respond effectively. Students have also been offered a slate of co-curricular activities such as mentoring, career advising, and internship opportunities with regional employers to ensure their preparedness to enter the cybersecurity workforce.