Organizations face growing cyber threats, but Wayne Community College is preparing the next generation of students to confront the problem head-on.

WCC is offering new cybersecurity programs to help students learn to combat online attacks like the one that shut down the Colonial Pipeline in May.

Glenn Royster, Department Chair for Information Systems Technology at WCC, says cyber-attacks are a national security threat as well as a threat to local businesses and the economy.

With so many items networked, Royster says even automobiles have openings for cyber attacks.

In WCC’s cybersecurity program, students will learn how to “hack” to keep their networks on offense and wage appropriate defenses.

Students start in a virtual environment and then migrate to physical, real world training.

Royster says WCC is adding the use of a “Cyber Range” this summer which can be accessed remotely by students and instructors.

The “Cyber Range” provides an environment similar to a corporate network that students must defend.

WCC’s cybersecurity program utilizes Cisco, Palo Alto and Lennox as well as other systems.

Royster says students can even enter WCC’s cybersecurity program with no knowledge of IT in general.

Royster says there is currently not a large enough pipeline to provide appropriately skilled cybersecurity experts, so there is a high demand for those that are well-skilled in the field.