Kentucky second state to adopt Cyber Engineering Pathway for school districts–Cybersecurity field pays about $116,000

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 9, 2017) — The Kentucky Department of Education has officially approved and adopted the Cyber Engineering Pathway for all Kentucky school districts. Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) will be the first school district to officially roll out the program at Central, Southern, Seneca, Eastern, Fairdale and Pleasure Ridge Park high schools. Louisiana also has adopted the pathway.

Kentucky had more than 2,115 unfilled positions last year in cybersecurity. The average reported salary in the field is about $116,000,” said Dawn Marie Yankeelov, executive director of TALK, the area’s tech council.

This summer the National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center (NICERC), TALK and JCPS representatives will present to superintendents and teachers across the state at the Annual Kentucky Career & Technical Education Summer Conference (KACTE). There will be a 7-hour workshop presented by NICERC’s team of subject matter experts. There are currently up to 10 IT-related pathways for school districts in the state.

TALK also invited Rodney Petersen, Director of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), to present at the TECNA (Tech Councils of America) CEO Retreat in April of this year.

TALK will host a Cybersecurity Summit for professionals and educators from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 15 at the Old Walnut Center Conference Center in Louisville.