Davenport University provides cybersecurity grads with hands-on learning and job guarantee

Experts in the field say there has never been a better time to embark on a career in cybersecurity. The demand for cybersecurity graduates has never been greater, and organizations are willing to compensate their employees generously for their service.

According to Davenport University College of Technology professor Lonnie Decker, our society and its ever-increasing reliance on technology is driving the demand for well-educated cybersecurity professionals. 

“More devices connect to the internet daily, including smartwatches, thermostats, appliances, doorbells and home security systems,” said Decker. “If you add emerging technologies, such as self-driving cars and artificial intelligence, the challenges we face with outages due to equipment issues, network outages, and deliberate cyber-attacks become increasingly costly.”

Decker says that years ago, individuals carried out cyber attacks for personal achievement or small groups with a grudge against a particular company. But times have certainly changed. Today, an overwhelming number of cyber attacks are carried out by nation-states against their rivals for political gain, espionage, financial damage or disruption of critical infrastructures, like pipelines or power grids.  

“We are accustomed to doing business online, paying bills, subscribing to entertainment, and communicating with friends,” said Decker.  “Organizations that don’t proactively protect themselves to maintain their ability to do business online won’t be in business long.”

This daily reliance on technology makes U.S. citizens and organizations vulnerable and makes cybersecurity professionals not only in demand but essential.

Those who want to join this critical workforce will find the education and training they need to succeed at Davenport, which has been recognized as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency.

Individuals who want to boost their resume can start by earning a cybersecurity management certificate or a cyber defense and security certificate. Both certificates add new skills to one’s resume and are also“stackable.” This means students can take the credits from their certificate courses and apply them to a related associate, bachelor, or master’s degree.

Those who wish to take their careers to a new level and learn how to protect data integrity and defend against cybersecurity attacks can earn either an Associate in Cyber Defense or a Bachelor’s in Cyber Defense at Davenport University. Those who want to become a highly sought-after leader in cybersecurity can continue to earn a Master’s in Information Assurance-Cybersecurity at Davenport. Click here to learn more about these exciting career opportunities. 

This specialized field is appealing to prospective students for many reasons, mainly because it is highly diverse and provides opportunities for those interested in coding, networking, cybersecurity and more. 

Coding experts are needed to take a deep dive into programming languages, networks and operating systems to ensure an organization is protected. Networking experts are needed to install networking and cybersecurity devices and monitor policies to keep networks safe.   Cybersecurity management experts are also needed to implement systems with the policies and personnel required to manage them. 

According to Decker, students contemplating a career in cybersecurity can rest assured knowing they will be valued, highly sought after and well compensated. 

Cybersecurity is among the most lucrative and fastest-growing segments of the IT workforce. According to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics, cybersecurity and cyber defense professionals have the potential to earn an average annual salary of $85,941 – $139,643. This long-term income potential certainly adds to the attractiveness of a cybersecurity degree. 

Decker says Davenport’s cybersecurity program is unique in several ways. 

First, it provides students with a hands-on approach to learning and access to state-of-the-art software that prepares them to be productive on their first day of employment. 

“It’s difficult to get the full appreciation for implementing technology and cybersecurity into an organization without a hands-on approach to allow students to learn by doing,” said Decker. “We don’t learn to drive a car by reading the owner’s manual, so we can’t expect students to learn how to implement routers in a network or implement cybersecurity tools unless they’ve actually done it.”

Davenport’s cybersecurity program is also unique in that it integrates business and management approaches into its curriculum. This prepares graduates with the knowledge needed to acquire and allocate necessary equipment, software, and personnel resources within budget constraints. 

And perhaps most importantly, at Davenport, students learn from industry experts, those who are highly credentialed and accomplished in their field. This is true of Decker, who has worked in IT since the 80s and has a networking, network security and cybersecurity management background.  

The cybersecurity field has changed since Decker graduated. One notable difference is in how students pay for their degrees. At Davenport, many pathways exist to help ease the financial burden of earning a technology certificate or degree. In fact, most students in the College of Technology receive a generous financial aid package, with some earning a full-tuition scholarship through the Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy (CSA). This scholarship covers the total cost of tuition, books and required fees, plus a stipend for food and housing if needed. To learn more about this scholarship opportunity, click here. 

Something else that has changed over the years is how students land their first job after graduation. Thanks to the Department of Defense Cybersecurity initiative, cybersecurity students are guaranteed employment after graduation. What an incredible opportunity for students.

When choosing a career path, cybersecurity professionals have no shortage of options, like computer operations manager, cyber security analyst, internet technology manager, systems software engineer, information system director, and management information systems director, to name a few. 

Opportunities are plentiful for those embarking on an exciting career in cybersecurity, like Adam Alexander, who is studying cyber defense and digital forensics.  

To learn how to take the first step to becoming a cybersecurity professional at Davenport, click here.