To fill a gap in cybersecurity and promote the importance of cyber safety, Texas Southmost College will introduce a new Cybersecurity program in spring 2022. 

“We are excited to kick off this program,” said Murad Abusalim, TSC dean of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. “This program will produce graduates highly sought after by industry. Job opportunities in this field are numerous and the demand for cybersecurity professionals will only continue to grow.”

TSC’s Cybersecurity degree is a two-year program that offers students an associate degree upon successfully completing the course work. 

“At TSC, we’re proactive in meeting regional workforce needs,” said Abusalim. “In creating this program and curriculum, we’ve worked with industry professionals who have guided us to ensure we will be training students with the crucial skills they need to be marketable in the field.”

Skills For A Growing, In-Demand Field

TSC’s Cybersecurity program students will develop skills in areas such as programming and systems analysis and networking. Other areas include cryptography, security system design, risk assessment and policy analysis, user access issues, investigation techniques and troubleshooting.

Students will also have the opportunity of earning globally recognized industry credentials from Computing Technology Industry Association and Certified Ethical Hacker. 

Graduates can find employment in the information technology, aerospace, financial, health care, construction and automotive sectors. Positions include information security analysts, computer systems analysts, software developers, computer network architects, and computer and information systems managers. 

“There is a number of local, statewide and national opportunities for graduates of our program,” said Abusalim. “Our students will get hands-on training on industry-standard equipment and software, so if they’re ready to dedicate time to their training and commit to working hard, they will not lack opportunities.”  

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, cybersecurity employment projections in Texas are expected to increase by 33.4 percent. This figure projects more than 820 annual job openings. The median annual wage in the Brownsville-Harlingen area and beyond ranges from $96,250 to $100,490. At the national level, the projected employment shows a 28-percent increase with annual openings between now and 2026 at 10,400. 

Registration for spring 2022 is now open.