Fredericksburg is expecting to see development in the cyber security and information technology industries.
At its Thursday, Sept. 21 meeting the Germanna Community College Local College Board approved new curriculum necessary to create an Associate of Applied Science degree in cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity training is one of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s priorities. Beyond national security implications, he considers such training a key component of Virginia economic growth as more and more companies seek employees with cybersecurity skills.
“Most businesses do not employ people right unless they have a variety of skills. And having some expertise in cybersecurity is a valuable tool to have in your kit when you apply for a job. In the Commonwealth alone there are 20,000 jobs open now that require some level of cybersecurity training,” said Dr. Janet Gullickson, the new president of Germanna.
The two-year degree will prepare students for technician and analyst jobs in the cybersecurity field in which Virginia alone has over 20,000 openings according to a Burning Glass Job Market Intelligence report.
Rappahannock IT, established in January 2017, will be opening its doors for the first time next month in downtown Fredericksburg at 1011 Princess Anne Street, Suite A.
Rappahannock IT offers business IT services from managed service contracts, network installation and security, surveillance systems, and more, as well as consumer services such as computer, phone and electronics repair, virus removal, home security and home networks installations and more.
