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Sacramento Nonprofit Offers Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Support Training for Locals

Recruitment for the eight-week course, which closes today, has generated a robust response to the offering, funded by a grant from the city of Sacramento through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

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Recruitment is near its end and the response has been robust for a new Sacramento-based cybersecurity training program capable of skilling or upskilling candidates for private- and public-sector work.

The application period ends at close-of-business Wednesday for Cyber Proud Sacramento, the training program from Sacramento-based Cyber Proud Inc. It will offer education in cybersecurity and infrastructure support to as many as 40 city of Sacramento residents — as well as the kind of post-classroom guidance students may still need to find employment. Among the takeaways:

Cyber Proud, a nonprofit, is working with Woz Enterprise, a division of Woz U, on the curriculum — centered on the latter’s federal Department of Labor-registered tech apprenticeship. It has drawn more than 1,000 inquiries and 250 applicants. The eight-week, 320-hour, dual-track training in cybersecurity or infrastructure support begins Monday and will run through Dec. 18 with a pause for Thanksgiving. It’s funded by a $280,000 grant from the city of Sacramento to Cyber Proud, from the city’s portion of funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“By working with partners like Cyber Proud, we can give individuals the opportunity to receive training while providing a pipeline of day-one-ready employees to companies who need skilled workers,” Chris Coleman, Woz U president, said in a statement.

• Candidates selected to participate in either of the two tracks will receive those 320 hours of pre-apprenticeship training — and they’ll also get career counseling and the chance to earn college credit while working in their field of study. To that end, Cyber Proud CEO Coleen Morehead told Techwire, the nonprofit is creating a mentor network aimed at connecting the training program to the Sacramento economy — and identifying a mentor for each graduate. Cyber Proud is also seeking companies to participate in the program’s yearlong employer-sponsored apprenticeship, to hire students that complete the eight-week pre-apprenticeship to work for one year as apprentices. Students who complete either program track will receive a voucher to take the corresponding CompTIA certification exam.

• The program has a direct benefit for the private sector, Morehead said, especially for small and medium government contract vendors compelled to meet state or local cybersecurity requirements — but which may not be able to hire a fulltime staffer for support.

“They’d be much better off contracting out with a small business or another vendor who can provide that support. That need is growing and there’s really a great entry point for an individual who comes out of a program like this to work for one of those contractors,” the CEO said.

Theo Douglas is Assistant Managing Editor of Industry Insider — California.