Atlantic Cape’s Annual Cyber Day Highlights the Cyber Industry’s Growing Technological Fields and Career Potential

MAYS LANDING — Atlantic Cape Community College’s 4^th Annual Cyber Day brought nearly 70 students from three area high schools to the college’s Mays Landing campus on May 29 for a day filled with hands-on technology and cybersecurity activities, practical demonstrations, and interaction with industry professionals and experienced facilitators.

Atlantic Cape Computer Information Systems and Aviation Studies Department Associate Professor Dr. Bojan Zilovic spoke to the students from Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township and Lower Cape May Regional high schools during his opening remarks on the benefits of pursuing an associate’s degree in a burgeoning industry profession, such as Cybersecurity, at Atlantic Cape.

“We awarded almost $600,000 in scholarships last year and almost 70% of our students receive some sort of financial aid,” said Dr. Zilovic. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a great need and the demand for cybersecurity jobs over the next 10 years will increase tenfold, 10 times more than all other occupations.”

Industry experts – Simohamed Roudani, Senior Security Engineer, Federal Aviation Administration; Fred Stinchcombe, Computer Science, Rowan University; James Clark, Vice President Information Technology, South Jersey Industries; and Gunther Taberne, Cybersecurity Division Vice President, Spencer Gifts and Spirit Halloween – answered questions about the Cybersecurity profession submitted by students in the audience.

Following the panel discussion, the students split up into individual workshop groups where they learned about cryptography, drones, cybersecurity, AI teachable-machine, AutoHotKey (AHK) and cybercrime tools.

Dayshaun Lavoy, a senior from Egg Harbor Township High School, is planning on attending Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania as a Business major while minoring in Cybersecurity. Lavoy, who is originally from Jamaica, Queens, says he has been thinking about choosing Cybersecurity for a couple of months. The designing aspect of it interests him the most right, but as he continues to gain additional knowledge about Cybersecurity the more he is considering moving on to it as his major.

Atlantic Cape continues to develop strong connections with four-year industry partners like Rowan University so that local students may attend Atlantic Cape, take courses, receive cybersecurity certifications and then advance to a four-year college or university, or enter the workforce.

Atlantic Cape’s cybersecurity curriculum entails several steps to ensure that students are prepared academically and receive the necessary certifications required to enter the workforce. These steps include receiving an associate’s degree, earning the CompTIA A+ and Network+ certification, earning the CompTIA Security+ certification, earning the CompTIA Linux+ certification, earning the TestOut Ethical Hacker Pro certification, and earning the CompTIA SySA+ certification.

View the photo gallery from this event on Flickr https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBsDGb.

Visit atlanticcape.edu/pathways to learn more about Cybersecurity and the other 46 academic degree programs that Atlantic Cape has to offer.

About Atlantic Cape Community College

Atlantic Cape Community College is a Middle States accredited, 2022 Achieving the Dream Leader College and Hispanic Serving Institution proudly serving the residents of Atlantic and Cape May counties. As a comprehensive, two-year community college, Atlantic Cape offers 47 undergraduate degree programs, and 33 certificate and workforce development professional series programs at its Mays Landing, Atlantic City and Cape May campuses. Atlantic Cape is home to the renowned Academy of Culinary Arts, rated the top culinary school in New Jersey, and for more than 50 years, our highly-acclaimed Nursing program. Atlantic Cape also partners with several four-year universities to offer students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree without having to leave home.