CSM Cuts the Ribbon for State-of-the-Art Cyber Range Training Program

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) hosted a ribbon cutting event on May 14 to mark the launch of its participation in Maryland’s Cyber Workforce Accelerator (CWA) program.

Established in 2024 by the Maryland Association of Community Colleges and BCR Cyber, the CWA provides cyber ranges to all 16 Maryland community colleges for use in both the program training and community college training across the IT and cybersecurity spectrum. Key to the CWA program is the BCR Cyber Series 3000 Cyber Range, a training system that simulates cyber-attacks and introduces students to cybersecurity concepts and operations.

CSM now has access on site to the cyber range using dedicated remote workstations which are located on the college’s Leonardtown Campus within its Barbara Ives Cyber Lab. This access to the cyber range will be used by CSM for cybersecurity curriculum development and course inclusion. Students will now be able to demonstrate their knowledge in a hyper-realistic and stimulating environment alongside both their peers and professors.

 “Last fall when Gov. Wes Moore announced the award of $1.8 million to BCR Cyber and the Maryland Association of Community Colleges to enhance Maryland’s cybersecurity talent pipeline by providing hands-on cyber range training at all 16 community colleges, we were immediately on board,” CSM President Dr. Yolanda Wilson said at the ceremony at the Leonardtown Campus.

“With a growing focus on cybersecurity, CSM remains committed to offering cutting-edge training in this high-demand field,” she continued. “CSM’s cyber labs were launched last year, including this one at the Leonardtown Campus which has been named the Barbara Ives Cyber Lab through financial support secured by the Patuxent Partnership.”

A cybersecurity student at CSM,  Raymond Meja shared his experience in cybersecurity with the audience. “This cyber range offers us, as students, an invaluable hands-on experience. We get to dive into simulated cyber intrusions, this includes internal or external threat actors that may want to deface a website, showcasing the importance of web application security, or even demonstrates what a denial of service on a server may look like, highlighting the need for robust network defenses. While classroom learning provides the foundational knowledge, the cyber range allows us to translate those concepts into practical skills in a dynamic and realistic environment.”

He continued, “It's one thing to read about a denial-of-service attack; it's another to actually see one unfold and learn how to respond. This safe, virtual space allows us to hone these skills, skills that are not only crucial for our future studies but are also in high demand to protect our digital infrastructure. In today's world, protecting critical infrastructure – from power grids to healthcare systems – is paramount. The skills we learn here are directly applicable to safeguarding these vital services.”  

The ceremony included video remarks from Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. Moore described this initiative as one “to strengthen Maryland’s economy, to close the skills gap and to lead the nation in cybersecurity readiness.” Van Hollen explained that his support in securing direct federal funding to help launch the CWA in Maryland’s community colleges was needed for “building a talented workforce to do this essential mission…if we want to defeat these threats, we need the talent to outsmart them.”

 Among dignitaries attending the ribbon-cutting were Maryland State Sen. Jack Bailey and Maryland State Del. Edith Patterson. “I see all the people in this room who work so diligently on cybersecurity and to be able to be part of it and to be able to have brought this to fruition, I am very proud to be standing here with you all,” Bailey said.

 Patterson also extended her congratulations and support to CSM on its new cyber range facilities. “Please know that the members of the Southern Maryland Delegation … certainly appreciate the critical role that you’re playing in adhering to the goals of College of Southern Maryland – by enhancing the lives and strengthening the vitality of a diverse and changing region,” she said.

 Dr. Dale Moore, president of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, and Ruthy Davis, workforce director of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, provided data points describing the critical demand of cybersecurity skills.

 “In the U.S., there is, on average, a cyber-attack of some form every 39 seconds, or over 2,200 per day,” said Dale Moore. He added that cyber-related costs today are over $10 trillion worldwide and the International Monetary Fund estimates those costs will grow to $23 trillion by 2027.

 Davis added, “The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 35 percent growth rate for information security analyst positions from 2021 to 2031, markedly faster than the average for all occupations. Here locally, projected growth in cyber security job demand is expected to increase by 24 percent between 2024 and 2035, from 8,255 to 10,214 jobs. In our region, we currently have 1,599 job postings seeking cyber security talent.”

 Maryland community college students will now have the opportunity to be trained on the activities and tools associated with cybersecurity in a hyper-realistic environment. Once students complete their studies, the program assists in placing these students in industry jobs while also helping address the urgent needs of Maryland’s cyber workforce.

 “The Cyber Workforce Accelerator program, with its cutting-edge cyber ranges, will be a game-changer for cybersecurity education in Maryland,” says Brad Phillips, Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Community Colleges. “We are proud to support this initiative at CSM and its positive impact on its students and the state's economy."

“There is a significant need here in Maryland for skilled IT and cybersecurity professionals. Community colleges play a vital role not only in helping meet this need, but also helping to facilitate meaningful employment for jobseekers,” says Michael Spector, President of BCR Cyber. “We are excited about the launch of the cyber range at CSM and the opportunities it presents.”

In addition to the academic component of the CWA, MACC and BCR Cyber offer a Workforce Development component which consists of BCR Cyber’s SOC Operations Analyst I training and certification. Upon completion of the Workforce Development program, students will receive a SOC Operations Analyst I Certification, an Industry-Recognized Credential designed to prepare individuals for entry-level Security Operations Center (SOC) roles. The certification aligns with federal government standards, industry frameworks, and employer requirements to ensure candidates are prepared for real-world cybersecurity challenges.

BCR Cyber training programs combine theoretical knowledge with real-world scenarios, enabling participants to apply their learning to practical situations. To ensure training programs are aligned with today’s cybersecurity industry standards, BCR Cyber created a public-private consortium of more than 40 strategic industry partners. Together, this consortium provides BCR Cyber with valuable guidance on industry requirements and needs.

 For more information about BCR Cyber, visit www.bcrcyber.com.

About CSM’s Cybersecurity programs:

CSM offers an Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, designed to prepare students for entry-level careers, and a cybersecurity certificate program for students who are currently employed in the field, as well as for those without prior work experience. This Cyber Range is located within the Barbara Ives Cyber Lab at the Leonardtown Campus, one of two cyber labs which were made possible through the ongoing support of The Patuxent Partnership.

To learn more, visit https://www.csmd.edu/programs-courses/credit/school-of-stem/cyber-center/index.html.

About the Maryland Association of Community Colleges

Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC) is an advocate for Maryland’s 16 community colleges and the needs of the students they serve. State-of-the-art facilities, flexible curricula, and award-winning teaching staff serve full- and part-time students pursuing academic degrees, career certifications, and enrichment courses at 22 campuses and 1000+ learning sites statewide.

 About BCR Cyber

Established in 2017, BCR Cyber (formerly Baltimore Cyber Range) is dedicated to delivering exceptional training solutions to both government and commercial clients. BCR Cyber has trained thousands of individuals and successfully placed over 83 percent into employment. The BCR Cyber Range is the first such facility in the world specifically dedicated to workforce development in the cybersecurity sector. BCR Cyber provides trainees with the most advanced cybersecurity strategies and techniques in an environment that simulates real threats in real-time. The range's hands-on training encompasses cyber threat detection, compromise mitigation, and system remediation, and is complemented by placement services. For more information, visit www.bcrcyber.com.