Educators with the University of North Georgia are taking on a cybersecurity education initiative to fill the need for cybersecurity jobs.
"The University of North Georgia Center for Cyber Operations Education is a new center to help prepare students for military and civilian careers in cyber security, cyber operations and cyber defense," said Dr. Bryson Payne, director of the Center for Cyber Operation Education.
"It's really an effort to bring together all of the good things we've been doing and some great new initiatives, and preparing students in the northeast Georgia region to fill critical needs in cyber security jobs, across the nation and across the state."
UNG is the only college in the area taking part in the initiative, said Payne.
"As the only university in the northeast Georgia area with cybersecurity programs... we can begin to fill some of this national need that we have."
Bureau of Labor statistics show that over 200,000 cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. are unfilled.
"There are over eight thousand cybersecurity job postings in Georgia that are unfilled right now," said Payne.
As part of the initiative, the center plans to host a two-week residential National Cyber Warrior Academy on the Dahlonega campus this summer for high school students who are interested in cyber-related education and/or careers.
The state of Georgia is home to more than 115 information security companies generating more than $4.7 billion in annual revenue and Georgia s Fort Gordon is home to the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and U.S. Army Cyber School, according to Payne.
