Pasco-Hernando State College Volume XII, Issue I - Spring 2018 | Page 17

PHSC student Michelle Donahue is instructed by Sandra Wohlers, Cybersecurity Program Director. Cybersecurity Associate in Science Degrees The Network Systems Technology Associate in Science Degree (NST-AS) offers two specializations for students to choose from, Advanced Network Cybersecurity professionals are nearly guaranteed job security and upward mobility. Infrastructure Specialization and the Cybersecurity Specialization. “Once completed, students will be able to further their credentials by obtaining industry certifications such as Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT), Certified Cisco Networking Associate (CCNA), A+, Security+ and Network+ certification exams,” said Wohlers. The Cyber and Information Security Associate in Science Degree (CIS- AS) offers students the opportunity to learn how to protect and defend systems from an adversarial point of view. “In order to protect systems, one must understand offensive techniques in order to gain strong defensive skills. The ability to analyze, respond, and mitigate threats are skills acquired through the degree program,” said Wohlers. Students completing the CIS program will have the knowledge to obtain industry certifications such as CompTIA A+, CompTIA Security+, Certified Wireless Technology Specialist (CWTS), and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH). “Cyber is a new domain and still in its infancy,” said Wohlers. “The industry is far from being regulated, which could be a good or bad thing. The United States government, industry leaders, and experts in cybersecurity education are creating pathways to ensure consistency SPRING 2018 17