Fayetteville Tech Partnering With North Carolina For Cybersecurity Job Program

State officials and Fayetteville Tech launched a bold plan on July 7. Their goal? To match students with hands-on cybersecurity work through internships and apprenticeships across North Carolina.

The state needs to fill 16,000 cybersecurity spots. Starting this August, students will work up to 25 hours each week in state positions. They'll gain real skills while tackling actual security threats.

"Our partnership with the North Carolina Department of Information Technology represents a bold step forward in securing our state's future," said FTCC President Mark Sorrells per the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal.

What started as a small team-up between FTCC and Montreat College has grown big. The Carolina Cyber Network now links 23 schools. Student sign-ups shot up from 680 to more than 4,000 since it began four years ago.

State CIO Teena Piccione wants results. "I want to hire every single one of the students that come out of the Carolina Cyber Network. I want to make sure that we're giving the opportunity that they need, not only for real world experience, but a real job at the end," she said.

At first, students near the state capital will train in person. Soon, the program will mix on-site work in Raleigh with remote tasks. This setup lets students from all corners of the state join in.

State CISO Bernice Russell-Bond sees wins for everyone involved. "Having a skilled, well-trained pipeline is essential to our cybersecurity efforts. Every day there are new challenges, so you will not be bored," Russell-Bond said.

No other state has tried linking students straight to government jobs through structured training. North Carolina leads the way with this first-of-its-kind program.