“Cybersecurity is the number one searched for program. When students are looking for programs at Sault College, they’re looking for cyber security.”
That from David Orazietti, Sault College's dean of aviation, trades and technology, natural environment and business, addressing the college’s board of governors at its regular monthly meeting on Oct. 28.
With that, the board approved a new, one-year, two-semester Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate program as recommended by the college’s advocacy committee.
The college will now seek grant funding for the program from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in order to launch the program in September 2022.
“It’s actually a very good fit (for graduates of college information technology programs),” Orazietti said.
The program is open to those with an Ontario college diploma, Ontario college advanced diploma, degree, or equivalent in information technology areas such as computer engineering, software, hardware, networking or a related discipline.
In the program’s second term, students will participate in a project in which they will make recommendations and prepare cyberdefence solutions for active businesses.
Graduates with knowledge of how to build a stable and secure network in the modern, cyber attack-prone world are sought by employers, the college stated in a report to the board.
Job prospects for graduates of the program will be good.
It is projected that from 2017 to 2026, there will be 100,000 new jobs in cybersecurity.
A recent internet job search shows there are more than 240 full-time job openings in cybersecurity in Ontario, the college stated.
Sault College already has a two-year cybersecurity graduate certificate program at its Toronto campus, exclusively serving international students.
The college, through the one-year, two-semester graduate certificate program, is aiming to retain and train domestic students.
– SooToday
