Students who are interested in pursuing a career in cyber security must be prepared to monitor web-based data for organizations whose reach ranges from local to national. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these professionals are trained to counter cyber attacks and security breaches, install protective software and collect information that can be used in cyber crime investigations.
In an effort to increase the availability of this specialization, the U.S. Naval Academy has launched plans for a cyber security studies center with construction set to begin in 2014. Because of the growing threat of cyber attacks on the homeland, academic officials highlighted the importance of training officers in this field, according to HometownAnnapolis.com.
Building this facility on the academy grounds will provide the institution with the appropriate laboratories and equipment needed for hands-on simulations and cyber defense research projects. In addition to benefiting students enrolled in the academy's cyber defense program, the new facility will allow all officers to obtain some training in this specialization.
Andrew Phillips, dean of academics at the Naval Academy, told the news source that "if we want to continue moving forward with our emphasis on science and engineering project-based learning, and if we want to create a new program to support cyber security, we need to build a new building."
