Maine's community colleges offer new programs
in network and computer security
Programs prepare graduates for work as network security officers and analysts, forensic analysts, network administrators, and moreThis fall three of Maine's community colleges will launch new degree programs in computer information security, one of the fastest growing fields in information technology. CMCC and WCCC (in partnership with CMCC) are offering an associate degree in network security/computer forensics. SMCC is offering an associate degree in computer information security. "Training tomorrow's information security professionals is essential for our security and economy and to protect the investments and data assets of Maine companies," said SMCC President Ron Cantor in announcing the college's new program. "This program will provide companies with the trained employees they need while giving Mainers skills that promise them a bright future." SMCC's CIS program covers a wide range of topics including virus protection, computer ethics, laws, policies, and network security. Students will learn how to install, configure, and maintain network infrastructures; identify security threats; and create security policies and procedures. CMCC/WCCC's program will give students a strong background in computer technology and networks and provide an opportunity for students to concentrate on securing, testing, and analyzing information as it is stored, manipulated, and communicated across networks. These new IT programs - and many others at Maine's community colleges - are all part of the Maine is IT! initiative, funded by a major grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The grant has enabled all seven of the colleges to launch innovative courses and programs to address the growing need for skilled information technology workers across many industries and in all parts of the state. Maine is IT! offers numerous pathways to success in information technology and is designed for individuals with a range of experience, from those interested in gaining basic IT skills to information technology professionals looking to earn new industry certifications.
We'll keep you posted as the colleges continue to work with employer and community partners to roll out new IT training opportunities across the state. In the meantime, please help us spread the word:
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Maine is IT! this fall
New Maine is IT! courses and programs start in August and September. Here are some highlights: CMCC: CompTIA A+ and Microsoft security fundamentals and technology associate starting in August. Fall programs include courses in networking, operating systems, PC repair and more.
EMCC: Certification and applications for healthcare IT, network architecture, server operating systems, and digital illustration courses all start in September.
KVCC: Many online and live options for Windows and Cisco certificates are available throughout the summer and fall. NMCC: Introduction to PC operating systems, computer networking hardware, network administration, and security begin in September.
SMCC: New computer information security degree program starts this fall.
WCCC: Computer technology degree and network security/computer forensics are new for the fall.
YCCC: New and expanded programs for fall include certificates in IT, information security, network administrator, Web development, and help desk and user support.
Check out the full list of courses and programs.
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YCCC graduate finds new career in IT After graduating from Biddeford High School in 2000, Bob Lauzon of Old Orchard Beach enrolled in college to study engineering, but when he occasionally skipped classes to fix friends' computers he knew his real interest was in the IT field. He left school before graduating, and after six years working as a technician at a cable company, he began thinking about going back to school. In 2008 he made the leap and enrolled in YCCC's computer technology program. Before long, he was working as an intern in YCCC's IT department and, after graduating, was hired as a help desk technician at the college. This past March he was offered a position at Systems Engineering in Portland as a help desk technician. His goal is to become a database administrator, and he credits YCCC with giving him a strong foundation on which to build his career.
I knew for a long time what I wanted to do, but I thought it was
too late. At YCCC, the combination of classroom and on-the-job experience gave me the 360-degree experience and the opportunity and interest to develop my goals. The instructors
were a wealth of information, always motivating, and
I Iooked forward to going to classes.
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People are talking...
About Maine is IT! See the Times Record article about the summer scholarships available to cover the cost of coursework for eligible students, and more in the Twin City Times. The South Portland Current let their readers know about SMCC's new computer information security degree program, and the Portland Press Herald included a mention of Maine is IT! in a news round-up.
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 Business simulation lab at CMCC to enhance IT students' training
As part of Maine is IT!, CMCC is creating two state-of-the-art networking labs with data centers to support new programs in computer technology. The labs will include a virtual environment that can quickly configure computers for use by a variety of different classes and students and will enable students to install, configure, and test various operating system setups and test resilience to cyber-attacks. Photo: Graham Tasker, CMCC Information Support Specialist II, installs the blade center for the college's new Business Simulation Lab.
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Start with a national IT certification,
finish with a degree at KVCC
Computer-based technology jobs are among the fastest growing in Maine. To take advantage of that growth, KVCC is offering business and industry IT certifications that provide a quick entry into the job market and a pathway to a college degree. The offerings are designed to provide students with the technical skills, expertise, and national certifications required of many who work in the following positions: - computer/network support technician
- Apple computer support technician
- desktop support technician
- information system support technician
- internet support technician
- IT technical support
- computer and network security
- mobile system support technician
KVCC's professional IT certifications offer both personal and professional growth and are widely accepted by employers as evidence of skills mastery. They also offer innovative approaches to the material and new pathways to a degree. The courses are delivered in a convenient, performance based, on-line format, measuring not just what you know, but what you can do. Each learning module begins with a brief lecture and includes a demonstration and virtual lab. And students who complete any of the professional IT pathways are awarded credit towards a KVCC degree in the applied electronics and computer technology program. Learn more.
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Why IT matters.
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Just ask Portland IT firm Winxnet, one of the largest IT service providers in the area. According to a recent Portland Press Herald article about the company:
- From 2001 to 2011, more than 500,000 IT-related jobs were created in the United States, an increase of 22 percent.
- During that time, IT jobs grew more than 95 times faster than employment as a whole. Read more.
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