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Date: 10/27/2021
HADLEY – In recognition of Massachusetts STEM Week and Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month, state Rep. Dan Carey joined a roundtable discussion at Paragus Strategic IT that included members from the Mass. Cyber Center to showcase the importance of cybersecurity workforce training in the Pioneer Valley and across Massachusetts.
The Oct. 21 event was an open discussion for Carey to speak with members from Mass. Cyber Center, Bay Path University, and Paragus Strategic IT and learn more about the project of assisting students in training in IT with local companies in the private sector. As vice chair of the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet, and Cybersecurity, Carey is looking at projects such as this one as an example of the great work done and the valuable need for proper cybersecurity across the commonwealth.
“Today was a great conversation and we hit on so many different topics. With this brand-new committee [the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet, and Cybersecurity], we’re looking at bills that touch all these areas. Information technology, the internet, we’re all using it every day for so many different reasons from personal things to business, to government,” Carey said. “So, we need to make sure we’re doing all we can to keep things safe, secure, equitable, accessible. We just really need to put a real focus on this.”
In 2018, the Baker-Polito Administration announced Cybersecurity Leadership and new awards to boost workforce development in the field. The effort to increase the workforce in the continually growing world of IT and tech was made to help benefit a wide range of small to large businesses across the commonwealth as technology and internet safety has become commonplace for all business in the modern world.
“The MassCyberCenter and Cybersecurity Strategy Council were created to ensure the state serves as a valuable partner with businesses, colleges and universities, and the public sector to grow Massachusetts’ cybersecurity industry and continue developing a talented workforce,” Gov. Baker said in 2018.
“Cybersecurity is a crucial issue for Massachusetts employers and municipalities who face cybersecurity threats but sometimes lack the resources to combat them,” added Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito in 2018. “Through Captain (Stephanie) Helm’s leadership, and the work of the Cybersecurity Strategy Council, we can bring to bear the best that Massachusetts has to offer to help these institutions…”
Director of the MassCyberCenter Stephanie Helm, a former U.S. Navy captain, was present at the event and spoke about the state’s work in brining effort into the cybersecurity work force.
“We’re really trying to engage academic programs, engage businesses, in order to talent develop for cyber security,” Helm said. “Cyber security is a great career field because you’re the good guy. You can help your grandmother, you can help your business, you can help anybody but you’re the good guy in that equation.”
In order to address the talent gap that exists in cybersecurity statewide, a new grant was formed to pilot efforts to prepare entry-level cybersecurity job seekers to meet the needs of Massachusetts employers and address the growing cybersecurity job crisis. According to data researched by the MassCyberCenter, there were 9,000 open cybersecurity jobs in the Commonwealth in 2017 showing there is a true need for cyber security assistance.
Bay Path University was awarded $250,000 to lead a project that engaged 30 undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity students, primarily women, in a full year of challenging experiences as paid interns on cybersecurity teams that will provide cyber audits at reduced cost to mid-sized companies. With some of the grant money, Bay Path partnered with Paragus in giving people the opportunity to excel in a field in need of jobs.
Now three years after the announcement of the program, Bay Path shared results. Present at the meeting were two students who are near completion of the program who shared the benefits they received in their experience in the program. Both are set to start full-time IT positions following graduation and were appreciative for the program giving them a boost in being prepared to join the workforce in cyber security. The exposure of real-world opportunities throughout Western Mass. gave students firsthand experience while still in school for what is to come in the field.
Danielle Goodwin, a student in the Bay Path master’s program for cyber security said what has been taught in the courses is easily applied to the work. She believes the process here could be used everywhere regarding the integration of a growing cybersecurity workforce.
Paragus Strategic worked directly in helping achieve this goal for the state and the University. The company primarily works with various companies by outsourcing their IT work and cybersecurity. They also offer trainings that were provided for Bay Path students during the program. Chief Executive Officer of Paragus Delcie Bean expressed the importance of having proper cybersecurity, mentioning that with the 150 companies that work with Paragus, there are about six attacks a week that happen and serves as a reminder that this is a constant threat everyone should be aware of and think about combating.
“Under the internship of Delcie, who was giving a discount to businesses, that brought so much together. That was a great model to show the value of a strong academic program which Bay Path has for cybersecurity,” Helm said.
One economic sector that needs cybersecurity due to state regulations is manufacturing. One partner of Paragus is Peerless Precision Inc., located in Westfield. The company manufactures precision made parts for aerospace, defense, and medical devices. President of Peerless Precision is Kristin Carlson, who was present in the event, described how the work done by Paragus benefits her company.
Carson explained that like other companies who manufacture similar equipment, Peerless Precision needs assistance from a group like Paragus in managing their IT in order to keep contracts with the Department of Defense running, as they are easily abandoned if the state finds they are not in line with proper regulation. Because of the grant, Paragus can offer discounted prices in assessments for businesses due to their involvement in students’ education in the field. Working with Paragus allows companies such as Peerless Precision to not have to hire within for IT and more time to focus on the job firsthand and finding new contracts to keep business moving.
Moving forward, MassCyberSecurity hopes to extend similar projects across the state with their findings here. The engagement of academic programs and businesses is a key part in developing talent for the jobs that need to be filled to benefit companies and municipalities cyber security.
“Today was a lot about bringing minds together but also looking at the collaborations happening in Western Mass., and for me to be able to partner with the MassCyberCenter we’re really going to be able to look at this issue statewide but also not forget about the rich resources we have here in Western Mass.,” Carey said.