Long Beach City College has been named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE2Y) by the National Security Agency (NSA). LBCC is only the third California Community College to receive this designation.

The NSA reviewed LBCC’s cybersecurity program last spring and determined that LBCC is providing rigorous instruction with the most current cybersecurity industry trends to students.

“It’s anticipated that there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2021,” said LBCC President Dr. Reagan Ferragamo Romali. “LBCC is well-positioned as the best place for students to help fill this labor gap in the next three years. Certain cyber-defense positions within the government require a certificate from a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. Our students will now be eligible for these well-paying jobs and be part of the team defending our government and other institutions from cyber-attacks.”

LBCC faculty and staff worked diligently over the past six years to build the program. It is one of the most robust cybersecurity programs in Southern California. Students can learn how to protect desktop and networks, configure Windows and Lennox servers, and learn about cyber forensics and ethical hacking. Upon completion, students would be eligible for entry-level jobs in the IT and cybersecurity industries.

LBCC offers an Associate of Science in Computer Security and Networking, and a Certificate of Achievement in Computer Security and Networking. Once LBCC students graduate with an associate degree or the Certificate of Achievement, they will receive an additional certificate from the NSA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that indicates graduation from a CAE2Y program, which is required for many new cybersecurity positions within the government.

“LBCC is proud to receive this designation from the NSA as a CAE2Y institution,” said Gene Carbonaro, Dean of the School of Career Technical Education. “We have an extremely vibrant cybersecurity program taught by our expert faculty who are constantly updating their own knowledge in this ever-changing field. Our teaching goes beyond the classroom including an active Cyber Security Club that participates in several competitions every year. This classification also means that our students would be eligible for exclusive scholarships and conferences that are only available to CAE2Y institutions.”

For more information on LBCC’s cybersecurity program, please contact Professor Garrett Whelan at gwhelan@lbcc.edu or (562) 938-3244.

Spring Semester registration for LBCC classes in cybersecurity and a variety of other subjects will begin on Dec. 13, 2018, with classes starting Feb. 6, 2019.