$1.4 Million Cybersecurity Grant Awarded to Cypress College for K-12 Dual Enrollment Pathway
A $1.43 million grant will facilitate a new K-12 dual enrollment pathway at Cypress College to educate high school students in the field of cybersecurity. Cypress College is one of six recipients — and the only one in Orange or Los Angeles counties — of the California College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) STEM Pathways Academy Program grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
Cypress College will use the four-year grant to develop a cohort-based group of students from neighboring Magnolia High School enrolled in cybersecuity coursework at Cypress College. Students who complete the program will earn certifications qualifying them for entry-level career positions in the field and benefit from a preferred pathway partnership between Cypress College and Orange County’s two public universities — California State University, Fullerton, and the University of California, Irvine — along with other four-year institutions.
“The CCAP STEM Pathways Academy Grant provides unprecedented career opportunities to students in the field of cybersecurity and computer science — providing a pathway to prosperity for Anaheim Union High School District students in high-demand, high-paying jobs,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling. “The grant facilitates a sequenced road map of coursework that provides unprecedented career and learning opportunities for participating students.”
According to the State of California’s Employment Development Department (EDD), the median wage in 2018 for network and computer systems administrators in California is $93,718 annually. At the same time, the number of jobs in network and computer systems administration is expected to increase in California by 4,000 — or 9.2 percent — between 2016 and 2026. More than 70 percent of AUHSD students come from economically challenged backgrounds.
The first group of 60 students will be admitted to Cypress College in fall 2020 when they begin their freshman year at Magnolia High School. In that first year, the students will pair high school computer coursework with a Cypress College counseling class. Subsequent college coursework provided as part of the grant includes Python programming, Cisco networking, network security, and anti-hacking security.
The CCAP grant is intended to prepare California students for high-skill jobs of the future in technology, manufacturing, or health care. This program design blends high school, community college, and workplace skills to provide the following five core benefits to students:
- Education in grades 9-14 focused on the knowledge and skills students need for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers;
- Workplace learning that includes ongoing mentoring by industry professionals in the chosen career sector, worksite visits, speakers, and internships;
- Intensive, individualized academic support by both K-12 and college faculty within an extended academic year or school day that enables students to progress through the program at their own pace;
- An opportunity to earn an associate of science degree, or an associate degree for transfer in a STEM field; and
- A commitment to students who complete the program to be first in line for a job with the participating business partners following completion of the program.
About Cypress College:
Cypress College offers students a pathway to their future in an environment in which employees commit to joining students on their educational journey. The college’s half-million-plus alumni include actors, athletes, doctors, executives, mechanics, nurses, and teachers. For some, Cypress College is the ticket into their university of choice, and for others, it provides essential training for a prosperous career. Just one Cypress College class is often all it takes to provide cutting-edge skills that lead to a promotion or a new job.
Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.
Cypress College is one of three campuses in the North Orange County Community College District and a member of the 115-campus California Community College system. The college primarily serves the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Stanton.
Located at 9200 Valley View Street in Cypress, the college is easily accessible from several Southern California freeways, including the 5, 91, 605, 22, and 405. The campus is just a stone’s-throw from Downtown Disney and Knott’s Berry Farm.
