By Cameron Probert, Tri-City Herald
RICHLAND, Wash. – More classes in the fast-growing field of cybersecurity are planned at Washington State University Tri-Cities, which also intends to hire a faculty member by next fall, said Joseph Iannelli, founding executive director of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
“This is a natural evolution of the need for computer science and cybersecurity professionals in the state of Washington, the nation and in the world,” he said.
Students completing the programs will likely have jobs waiting for them, according to the Washington Roundtable, a nonprofit comprised of senior executives from Washington state’s major private sector employers. It said Washington companies anticipate hiring 5,000 cybersecurity professionals within the next five years.
One of the organizations looking for more cybersecurity professionals is Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The collaboration between the lab and the university is mutually beneficial. The university trains the professionals who can provide the skills to protect computer systems, and the lab can offer internships and joint research opportunities.
Iannelli said the relationship between the organizations is a natural outcome of the laboratory’s position as a global leader in cybersecurity and the university’s strong program in computer science.
Read all of this article by Cameron Probert in the Tri-City Herald at http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/education/article117415558.html.