About

Empowering Washington state to thrive securely and safely.

This year, the twelve Centers of Excellence are celebrating 20 years of supporting community and technical colleges of Washington!

Vision + Mission+

Vision

The Cybersecurity Center of Excellence strives to defend Washington State from cyber-attacks by connecting employers with highly skilled cybersecurity graduates from community colleges. Through dynamic collaboration with academia, employers, industry, and government the CCoE develops comprehensive strategies and innovative solutions to meet the evolving cybersecurity workforce demands across the state.

Mission

The Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCOE) shall serve as a state-wide hub to enable Washington state to be the epicenter for cybersecurity education and a highly skilled workforce, empowering our region to thrive securely and safely.

Washington State Centers of Excellence+

Linking business, industry, labor, and the state’s educational systems

The Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is one of twelve Washington State Centers of Excellence. The centers link business, industry, labor, and the state’s educational systems to create a highly skilled and readily available workforce critical to the success of the state’s economy. Each center is funded through the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and housed at a community or technical college.

The twelve Centers of Excellence serve as statewide resources representing the needs and interests of a specific industry sector. Through ongoing investment, Centers are charged with narrowing the gap between employer workforce needs and the colleges’ supply of work-ready graduates. They are a critical component of the state’s strategy of sustaining an innovative and vibrant economy.

Find out more about the other centers at https://www.coewa.com/.

Whatcom Community College+

Whatcom Community College (WCC) is a leader and host institution for two national centers, the Washington State Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, and maintains its own Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Programs of Study. It provides support many cybersecurity initiatives which advance WCC, Washington State, and the nation. These include, but not limited to:

The National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center (NCyTE) and CAE Candidates National Center (CCNC).
- NCyTE is funded by NSF as an Advanced Technical Education (ATE) National Center for Cybersecurity with four strategic goals, 15 objectives, and over 70 initiatives currently in progress to advance cybersecurity education resources and capacity in the U.S., and to meet the nation’s cybersecurity workforce needs. The four strategic goals are:
  - Expand cybersecurity education pathways and program diversity.
  - Develop and deploy-leading edge cybersecurity curriculum.
  - Cultivate industry-engagement and career opportunities.
  - Disseminate efforts to improve current and future directions of cybersecurity education in the U.S.
- CCNC helps colleges and universities prepare and apply for the designation of Centers of Academic Excellence (CAEs) in Cybersecurity. The CNC provides mentoring, resources, advice, and other support to institutions that want to earn the CAE designation, or to have their academic program validated as a first step in the process. Through Whatcom’s leadership of the program the Cyber CAE designated institutions across the US have increased from 66 to 431.
The WA State Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE). The CCoE serves as a state-wide information hub, collaborating with industry, and educators to identify opportunities, create efficiencies, and support the future of cybersecurity workforce in Washington State.
The WCC CAE Cybersecurity Center is WCC's designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense for the NSA-Validated Program(s) of Study through academic year 2028, providing its own students with technical and cybersecurity certificate and degree granting program opportunities.