October was cybersecurity month and University of Maryland Global Campus, students had a chance to participate in a special event that gave them an opportunity to meet with local employers in the greater Fort Meade, Maryland area.
Held on Oct. 5 at Fort Meade’s McGill Center, Khadjieh Sarvandai, UMGC assistant director of central region stateside military operations, said the event began with an ethical hacking demonstration put on by UMGC’s cybersecurity department.
The demonstration “highlighted the importance of updating hack-preventing tactics and installing several technologies to protect the system before falling victim to the hacker,” she explained.
The field of cybersecurity is growing and evolving at a rapid pace, creating a huge demand for trained cyber professionals. University of Maryland Global Campus can help veterans obtain the latest industry knowledge, cutting-edge technical skills, and real-world expertise they need to specialize in the cybersecurity field of their choice, Sarvandai said.
Following the hacking demonstration event, representatives from six companies, including Intelligent Waves, Amazon, CACI, Blue Star Families. National Security Agency and Leidos discussed how to begin a career in the cybersecurity industry.
“This was followed by a meet-and-greet where the attendees could meet with the employers one-on-one,” said Sarvandani. “The open floor portion of the event was a huge success as the attendees were very engaged with the employers and UMGC academics.”
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The panelists touched on what makes a strong applicant in the hiring process and how to further your career once you get your foot in the door. Attendees also heard directly from employers about which skills and qualifications they are looking for.
“Some of the representatives who attended the event were willing to review resumes, if attendees had a copy and provided them to the POC’s for further communication,” she said.
On the UMGC side, an advisor table was set up with computers for anyone who wanted to complete an application to UMGC before leaving the event.
“Regardless of where an individual was prior to the event, we wanted to provide the opportunity for attendees to take the next step in their career,” explained Sarvandani.
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UMGC offers a broad array of online cybersecurity degrees and certificates which are continually updated and designed with input from industry leaders and cybersecurity experts. Students also receive lifetime access to career services and resources to help them achieve their professional goals.
To learn more about UMGC’s cybersecurity program, visit here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.