This summer we had an opportunity to chat with Dennis Skarr from Everett Community College. We were particularly interested in their course on Cybersecurity for Physical Infrastructure.
In collaboration with GRIMM, a national leader in cyber-to-physical security research, they developed coursework to address the cyber skills needed by municipal services and critical infrastructure. Graduates are trained to fill IT support and cybersecurity roles at places such as water treatment plants and electrical companies.
Students get hands-on experience with the same technical equipment and control systems that are used in the industry. They learn how to secure them and how to hack them. Students participate in cyber competitions and workshops and have opportunities to engage with industry professionals to discuss internships and employment.
The Information Technology Associate in Technical Arts degree is a 2-year program designed to prepare students for IT jobs in the municipal and industrial sectors. A similar degree is the IT AA-Transfer degree. Students who complete this degree are eligible to transfer to Central Washington’s IT and Administration Management bachelor’s degree program, or to Bellevue's BAS in Cybersecurity.
Key classes in the Everett program focus on Occupational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS):
- Assessing and Securing Control Systems (IT 175),
- Information Security Fundamentals (IT 180),
- Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures (IT 280)
Lead instructor Dennis Skarr has a background in cybersecurity for the military and performed security checks on many types of industrial systems. His students have presented at multiple conferences. Last year, two of them received scholarships to present at the annual EnergySec Security and Compliance Summit held at the Disneyland Hotel. They worked together to create and deliver three training sessions on ICS Network Protocols and Threats. Students have also presented at Defcon on the hacking skills they acquired through the program.
It was great to see how EvCC is taking proactive steps to align their curriculum with the needs of the local job market. By focusing on programs that prepare graduates to protect critical infrastructure, they are supporting students' career prospects while contributing to the safety and security of our communities. Kudos to Dennis Skarr and the entire EvCC team for their dedication to this important work!
Industrial control systems used for hands-on training at EvCC.