“This is a very unique program nationwide,” Barlow said.
The largest growth in demand for cyber security experts is likely to come from industries like finance, health care and retail trade that deal with large volumes of consumer data, according to Burning Glass, a market research firm. A report from the firm showed postings for cyber security jobs have grown 91 percent between 2010 and 2014.
A need exists throughout Ohio for workers who are trained to protect data and who can look for suspicious activity online, Barlow said. The center offers a 10-week course to train prospective employees in cyber security. It also provides a similar course to train prospective workers in law enforcement analysis.
The agency has provided training for law enforcement analysts for about five years, Barlow said. But it’s increasingly seeing a need for cyber security training, particularly at defense contractors and agencies associated with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The organization will begin a cyber analysis data security course on Monday in Springfield, for example.
“We’ve gone through a transformation in who our students are,” Barlow said.
Avetec, a defense company previously based in Springfield, merged with ATIC in 2013. The following year, ATIC joined with Wright State University’s Center for Workforce Development. That partnership allows ATIC to provide workforce development services in the region while Wright State manages the organization’s infrastructure and finances.
Some students enroll in ATIC’s cyber security program as a standalone program to get started in the industry, said John Hermes, a teacher at ATIC.
Clark State also works closely with ATIC to offer a nine-month Advanced Technical Intelligence course. That certificate program, offered two evenings a week, is targeted at students who already have a degree but are interested in additional training or are looking to change careers, said Toni Overholser, director of business and community development for the Greene Center at Clark State. The program is expected to begin in March.
“There’s a huge demand in this region and our job is to meet the workforce demands in this area,” Overholser said.
Austin Turner, of Bellbrook, finished ATIC’s cyber security program in 2014 and now works for Vigilant Technology Solutions, a firm near West Chester. Turner said he met his future employer during the program and now monitors networks for various clients, and watches for malware and other potential attacks.
Turner already had some experience in technology, but became interested in the program because of various cyber attacks he saw in the news. He expects there to be more demand from the business community.
“It’s not slowing down at all and it’s not stopping,” he said of cyber attacks.
ATIC already has partnerships with more than 20 agencies, including universities like Purdue and Wittenberg, Barlow said.
The organization is placing a greater emphasis on developing new partnerships with area businesses and finding new ways to offer its workforce development programs, she said. ATIC shares a facility with the Ohio/Indiana UAS Test Center and Complex in Springfield, which works with area businesses and government agencies to develop the drone industry in the region.
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