BRENHAM, Texas (KBTX) – To meet the rapidly growing demand for cybersecurity and data protection professionals, the Blinn College District Cybersecurity program offers hands-on experience and the opportunity to earn both a Level 2 certificate and an associates of Applied Science degree.
Next month, high schoolers are going to be able to experience that hands on learning through a free cybersecurity camp.
Blinn’s Computer Science Department Head Bruce Gooch said the program is an outreach program through Texas A&M and the Department of Defense.
“The point behind this one was to get kids interested in cybersecurity and the government,” said Gooch. “This is, actually, a funded program. It is the Department of Defense that funds the whole thing. The really interesting thing is the kids can stay in Texas, work for the government afterward, and they make very competitive salaries.”
The department head told KBTX he’s seen the interest in cybersecurity grow over the years.
“In previous years, it’s been tough for me to get 30 kids,” Gooch revealed. “This year, I’m actually oversubscribed and I’ve been having a number of the parents say, ‘hey can I come to camp with my kids?’”
There is currently a wait list but if you’re interested you can email blinn.edu/cybersecurity.
The hands-on experience begins on day one.
“The first day, we build the computers that the kids use… We set up a section they can do electronics on. We teach them cybersecurity techniques, the Python programming language, and then how to run simple electronics,” listed Gooch.
The camp is from July 7 through 11 with sessions going from 8:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m.
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