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WINSTON-SALEM — The Forsyth Technical Community College Davis iTEC Cybersecurity Center has been awarded a $326,300, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant will enable faculty and staff in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County and Stokes County school systems to increase their cybersecurity skills, abilities and knowledge.

Participating middle and high school teachers will enroll in Forsyth Tech’s 16-hour Cybersecurity Certificate program. After that, teachers can sit for the CompTIA Security+ Exam, an industry standard in cybersecurity. Upon completion of the exam and test, teachers will then receive a $500 stipend.

Throughout the classes, cybersecurity instructors and professionals will mentor the participating teachers, providing assistance with cyber security-based lesson plans to incorporate into their classrooms. This helps the teachers meet new K-12 standards established by the state.

“We are grateful to be selected for this grant and believe it will help increase the number of female and minority students learning about cybersecurity,” said Thomas Brown, department chair of the Davis iTec Cyber Security Center at Forsyth Tech.

Brown went on to say, “With billions being spent each year on cybersecurity, and growing concerns over the sophisticated tactics used by cyber terrorists to disrupt organizations, we are proud that Forsyth Tech is working to increase the number of cybersecurity professionals in our community.”

Additional anticipated outcomes of the program include increasing the number of instructors at Forsyth Tech, and the establishment of an outreach program which connects Forsyth Tech resources to the school systems.

Forsyth Technical Community College provides students with guided educational pathways into a competitive workforce for the community and global economy. The college offers associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in more than 200 programs of study, including programs that promote personal and professional development through non-credit courses and seminars, as well as customized training for business and industry. Forsyth Tech serves more than 21,000 students with approximately 1,500 full and part-time faculty and staff. For additional information, go to  forsythtech.edu and follow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.