Center for Cybersecurity

Launching Florida’s Cyber Coast

At the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, we’re bridging the gap from the real world to the cyber world.

The UWF Center for Cybersecurity is a regional hub for cybersecurity education and research, including multidisciplinary programs and certificates, research opportunities, outreach activities, and industry partnerships.

National Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE-C) Regional Hub

The University of West Florida has been designated by the National Security Agency as the National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-C) Regional Hub for the Southeast, in partnership with CyberFlorida at the University of South Florida and Forsyth Technical Community College.

CyberSkills2Work Program Awarded $2.5 Million Expansion Grant and Highlighted in White House National Strategy

The University of West Florida Center for Cybersecurity received a $2.5 million grant from the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) Program at the National Security Agency to expand the National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Program, CyberSkills2Work. UWF and the NCAE-C Coalition will expand the program to prepare more than 1,520 newly credentialed cybersecurity professionals over two years.

The White House Office of the National Cyber Director recently released the first-ever National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy, which seeks to transform cyber education. The strategy highlights the UWF-led CyberSkills2Work Program as a model to facilitate public-private partnerships and greater participation by veterans in the cyber workforce.

Earlier this year, the team highlighted the success and impact of the CyberSkills2Work Program at a showcase in Washington, D.C. Since its inception 3 years ago, the coalition has developed 28 training pathways to provide FREE training that has prepared over 1,700 veterans, transitioning military, and first responders for cybersecurity jobs in critical infrastructure sectors.

See the grant expansion press release or showcase press release for additional information. Visit CyberSkills2Work.org or contact cyberskills2work@uwf.edu to learn more about the program. Applications for new training pathways will open up in September 2023.

Workforce Development Programs and Scholarships

The UWF Center for Cybersecurity is a national leader in cybersecurity workforce development and offers several programs and scholarships for training, upskilling, and reskilling. Read more about our workforce development initiatives.

National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Program (CyberSkills2Work)

UWF leads the National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Program, CyberSkills2Work, a nationally scalable and sustainable cybersecurity workforce program to rapidly expand the number of qualified cybersecurity professionals. Funded by a $9 million, three-year National Security Agency grant, the program provides training and 100% scholarships to eligible participants by a coalition of 10 institutions designated as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-C).

UWF CyberSkills2Work Program

As a part of the National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Program, the UWF CyberSkills2Work program provides free cybersecurity training and career development for eligible transitioning military, first responders, and veterans to prepare and transition them into rewarding cybersecurity jobs in our nation’s Critical Infrastructure Sectors. Learn more and apply now at https://uwf.edu/cyberskills2work.

CyberSkills2Work Florida Program

The CyberSkills2Work Florida, offered by the University of West Florida’s Center for Cybersecurity, is an intensive cybersecurity training program designed to help individuals launch or advance cybersecurity careers. The program provides FREE cybersecurity training and career development for eligible Florida residents to prepare and transition them to rewarding cybersecurity jobs. Learn more and apply now at https://uwf.edu/CyberSkills2WorkFL.

UWF Florida Cybersecurity Training Program

The UWF Florida Cybersecurity Training Program, offered by the University of West Florida (UWF) Center for Cybersecurity, provides FREE upskilling and reskilling cybersecurity training for eligible Florida, state university, state college, K12, county, and city employees. Learn more at https://uwf.edu/cybertraining.

Academic Program Scholarship Opportunities

ACES SFS Program

The NSF CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) program aims to recruit and train the next generation of highly skilled cybersecurity professionals. The program's goal is a full student placement in government cybersecurity positions with at least 80 percent of scholarship recipients securing placement in an executive agency. The program emphasizes recruitment, retention, and advancement of underrepresented and underserved populations including women and veterans.

DoD CySP Program

In 2001, the National Defense Authorization Act for 2001 established the DoD Cybersecurity Scholarship (formally renamed as DoD CySP in 2018). The law is enacted to promote the education, recruitment, and retention of rising junior and senior undergraduate and graduate/doctoral students in cybersecurity studies. Students selected as CyberScholars will receive the full cost of tuition, books (from the institution/degree-specific required book list, not books that are optional for the class), required fees (including health care), and a stipend to cover room and board.

Night of Cyber Returns!

We are excited to announce the return of the annual UWF Night of Cyber in celebration of Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week. Join the Center for Cybersecurity team on October 10th from 5:30 to 7:30 at the University of West Florida Commons Auditorium (Bldg. 22). The evening will include a cybersecurity careers panel with industry experts, an overview of the cybersecurity programs at UWF, information on the GenCyber summer camps, pizza, refreshments, and prizes! Registration is not required but recommended.

Visit https://UWFNightOfCyber2023.eventbrite.com for more details.