Waubonsee Community College has partnered with Northern Trust to strengthen its cybersecurity workforce by developing a cybersecurity apprenticeship program. The partnership centers on educating and training Waubonsee cybersecurity students through an “earn and learn” model in the Northern Trust Cyber Coordination Center.
“Northern Trust is proud to establish our first cybersecurity community college partnership with Waubonsee,” said Brian Olson, Chief Information Security Officer, North America, for Northern Trust. “It’s exciting to offer local students the opportunity to work in and learn from a worldwide operation like ours, in a field that is growing exponentially in both demand and importance.”
In order to be eligible for the paid apprenticeship, students must be enrolled in Waubonsee’s 60-semester-hour Cybersecurity Associate in Applied Science Degree program. The program is headquartered at the college’s Plano Campus, also known as the Innovation and Design Center, due to its focus on cutting-edge career preparation.
In addition to preparing students for entry-level cybersecurity jobs, the program also prepares them for a variety of industry certifications, including, but not limited to, CompTIANet+, A+ and Cisco CCNA.
“Anytime we’re able to offer Waubonsee students hands-on, real-world experience, we’re excited to do that,” said Ne’Keisha Stepney, Executive Dean for Business, Technology, and Workforce Education. “The fact that students are earning while they are learning and doing so at a global industry leader like Northern Trust adds tremendous value.”
Northern Trust is a leading provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking to corporations, institutions, affluent families and individuals. For more than 130 years, Northern Trust has earned distinction as an industry leader for exceptional service, financial expertise, integrity and innovation.
For more information on Waubonsee’s Cybersecurity Program and this new apprenticeship opportunity, visit waubonsee.edu/cyber.
