The Mission Economic Development Corporation has launched the latest installment of its CyberMission initiative. Now in its third year, the program is designed to provide Rio Grande Valley residents with a new set of skills and training in information technology (IT).
Launched in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission and made possible by funding through the Wagner-Peyser grant, the latest CyberMission program will give South Texas businesses and organizations a new line of defense against compromised data.
Through CyberMission, participants are granted free enrollment to CompTIA certification courses, which provide education, study material, and a mentor to help guide them through the assigned coursework. Upon completion, participants will sit for the CompTIA certification exam and be awarded CompTIA certification upon a passing grade. Several local school districts and municipalities have already signed on, giving their employees the opportunity to enhance their skillset in the growing IT industry.
“We are facilitating this program not just for Mission, but for the entire South Texas region,” said Daniel Rivera, program director. “We’re grateful to be able to help a new wave of IT professionals level up their skills and bring this new knowledge to their respective organizations, or to help them secure employment if they are currently unemployed.”
Two certifications are currently available through completion of the CyberMission program. Through the A+ program, individuals will learn foundational information such as the ins and outs of a computer. They will understand how each component works, as well as how to disassemble and rebuild a device. They will also learn about network infrastructure such as routers, modems and connectivity.
Through the Security+ certification, individuals will delve deeper into network infrastructure, such as servers and firewalls. They will learn security administration, systems administration, network and cloud engineering, security engineering and analysis, as well as IT project management skills.
The CyberMission program has evolved since its first cohort. In its first year, CyberMission utilized a vigorous 8-5 p.m. class schedule that wasn’t easily accessible to full-time employees. Now, CyberMission uses an asynychronous model, allowing for a greater number of IT professionals to participate. The latest cohort is scheduled to complete the CyberMission program by the end of 2022.
For more information about CyberMission, visit the Mission EDC website or contact Daniel Rivera.
