Cybersecurity Students Need to Register for Collegiate Cyber Defense Competitions Today
Palos Hills, IL (PRWEB) October 30, 2014 -- The need for cybersecurity professionals is higher than ever before. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the need for cybersecurity specialists to grow by 37 percent by 2022 – a much higher growth rate than for all other jobs! The field of cybersecurity is rising in leaps and bounds to meet the current need and the projected need of the future. As a result, the National Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA) is addressing the need for cybersecurity experts by hosting the Midwest Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (MWCCDC).
"These type of student competitions affect an institution's program enrollment and enables students to apply the knowledge and skills they obtain in the classroom," states Dr. John Sands, co-PI of the National Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance. "Colleges and universities need to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase the talent that their program develops."
CCDC registration is open until Friday, October 31st. Two and four-year colleges and universities are busy putting together teams from their cybersecurity programs to compete. Teams will build their mock production business infrastructure while defending it from professional “hackers” who are given the challenge to take each team’s system offline and breach their security.
Throughout February, more than 300 students will compete in their state’s Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. The winning teams from each state are eligible to compete at the MWCCDC at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, IL on March 27 and 28, 2015. The winner of that competition will be competing at the National CCDC in April 2015, in San Antonio, Texas.
An attractive highlight of the MWCCDC is job recruitment. Sponsoring businesses, such as U.S. Army INSCOM, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, Cobalt Strike, Dell SecureWorks, Department of Homeland Security, Northern Trust, Kellogg’s Company, National Science Foundation, Navy SPAWAR, Palo Alto Networks, PPL Corporation, and United Airlines, come to observe, interview and offer jobs on-site to students during this gilt-edged competition. All students who compete have their resumes in hand and are ready and prepared to be interviewed during this event.
The Midwest Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition serves Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. To participate, go to http://www.cssia.org/ccdc and register before October 31st.
Lynn Dohm, Nelly Group, LLC, +1 (815) 717-6546, [email protected]
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