This project trains advanced technicians in the areas of cyber security, computer forensics, and data recovery and create curricula modules for dissemination to community colleges. Del Mar College, Corpus Christi, Texas is the 12th largest Hispanic serving community college in the nation, enrolling over 25,000 students, 57% Hispanic, 60% female, and predominately first generation in college. The past decade has seen an enormous increase in highly sensitive data on computer systems and distributed networks that are vulnerable to unauthorized access. There has been a corresponding rise in the sophistication and number of attempts to breach system security. Currently, there is a demand for technician training to ensure the cyber security of emergency services and government operations and public and private infrastructures, e.g., transportation, telecommunications, and energy. There has not been a sufficient increase in cyber security/computer forensics technician training at the associate degree level nor the dissemination of training modules for adaptation into community college curriculums. Both are needed to produce technicians competent in cyber security, computer forensics, evidence collection, and data recovery, which are essential to meet industry workforce needs. This initiative develops and disseminates a comprehensive new curriculum framework and modules to train computer security technicians for an associate degree and corresponding computer security certifications in cyber security, including network security, computer forensics, data recovery, and related areas of cyber crime, evidence collection, and technical and legal investigative protocols.
