Glendale Community College’s Gaucho Security Operations Center (GSOC) welcomed National Cyber Director Harry Coker, Jr. from the Office of the National Cyber Director for the White House. He met with students, faculty, administrators and community members to discuss
initiatives and ideas to support Arizona’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
Director Coker toured Glendale Community College and GSOC, hosted a Student Listening Session with both current students and alumni, and then provided Public Remarks to students, faculty and community members. The event also included roundtable and panel discussions.
One of several reasons that GCC was selected for Cyber Director Coker’s visit is GSOC, the first operations center of its kind in Arizona. GSOC’s collaborative-hub model gives back to the community by offering cybersecurity as a service to rural municipalities. Towns across Arizona that are in need of cybersecurity services partner with GSOC and receive monitoring services from student interns, all at no cost. The mutually beneficial program is a service to the communities while providing an important student-learning environment, as well as addressing the growing need for cybersecurity professionals in Arizona. Interns receive advanced skill development as a Security Operations Center Analyst and Engineer while helping to monitor against security breaches on clients; networks and other operations. The program provides competency-based platforms while creating career-ready pipelines for students.
"The STEM grant for the West Valley Information Technology and Advancing Technologies provided the funding needed to get this program started. GSOC provides students with the workplace-ready experience that is desperately needed. Students are in an endless loop – they need experience to get a position but cannot get experience without securing a position. This program provides students experience working in a live, security operations center, giving them workplace-ready knowledge and skills as they move into the cybersecurity industry or transfer on to a 4-year program,” stated Rachelle Hall, Department Chair of Business/IT at GCC.
Glendale Community College has the distinction of being the only institution in the state of Arizona that is a partner institution of the U.S. Cyber Command Academic Engagement Network (AEN). The goal of the AEN is to strengthen relationships and communication with their partners to improve and sustain efforts to meet cyberspace educational requirements and workforce needs.