WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – More than 100 middle and high school students and teachers from throughout the state learned valuable lessons during the recent Cyber Challenge Day at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Part of the GenCyber program, an initiative supported by the National Security Agency and the National Science Foundation, the informative event rotated students through four interactive workshops, covering basic cyber skills. Students spent a portion of each session testing their knowledge.

“The goal was to help students understand the importance of cybersecurity, introduce them to cybersecurity concepts and show how they can apply those concepts in their daily lives,” explained Alicia L. McNett, assistant professor of computer information technology and coordinator for Cyber Challenge Day. “We also wanted attendees to think of cybersecurity as a possible career choice. It’s a growing and in-demand field.”

According to the ISC2 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, the global cybersecurity workforce gap is about 4.8 million professionals, a 19% increase over last year.

That reality piqued the interest of Eleanor Peters, a sixth grader at Lock Haven Catholic School. “It was important for me to come here because this (Penn College) is a possible college for me, and I like to learn more about possible jobs,” she said. “Definitely, I think cybersecurity could be a good job because there are shortages, and it pays really well.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics calculated that the median annual wage for information security analysts was $120,360 in 2023.

Diana Shcherbakov, a senior at Carlisle High School, attended Cyber Challenge Day to determine the field’s fit as a possible course of study in college. After two sessions, she had her answer.

“Yes, it is. Learning about codes is really interesting to me right now,” she said. “I really liked learning about the different types of cyphering that we did.”

Topics covered in the workshops ranged from specific cybersecurity controls – such as cryptography – to basic cyber hygiene. In one workshop, students coded small Edison robots to detect the removal of a piece of candy. In another, they learned how to identify social engineering attacks.

“Not everyone wants to work in the cybersecurity industry, but people need to know about it. Everyone needs to know how to protect themselves,” said Robert Schanbacher, a seventh grader at Williamsport Area Middle School.

“You have to stay safe on the internet and not download malware,” added Nyveii Hillian, an eighth grader at Williamsport Area Middle School, who planned to incorporate an additional cyber tip for home use. “Don’t click on phishing links on emails because you don’t want to break your machine. In the past, I’ve dealt with that, and it was not nice.”

Worldwide, the cost of cybercrime is projected to hit $10.5 trillion in 2025, according to Cybercrime Ventures.

“Actually think about what you are doing before you do anything,” Peters advised.

“We wanted to present cybersecurity as a very approachable subject,” McNett said. “I think we accomplished that. The students seemed very engaged and eager to learn. They had fun and were challenged by the various exercises. The content was also valuable for their teachers.”

Several of the secondary school teachers attending Cyber Challenge Day also participated in Penn College’s GenCyber Camp. Held in July, the camp covered actionable cybersecurity concepts for teachers to share in their classrooms. Middle and high school teachers are considered key in introducing cybersecurity and its growing career options to students.

In addition to McNett, Penn College IT faculty who led sessions for Cyber Challenge Day were Sandra Gorka, Allen Heimbach, Spyke M. Krepshaw, John M. Maize, Jacob R. Miller (retired), Phillip C. Warner and Daniel W. Yoas.

Five information assurance & cyber security students provided valuable assistance in the workshops: Vincent M. Deblasio, of Brick, New Jersey; Mike C. Marron, of Wayne, New Jersey; Lydia L. Mussington, of Waterville; Collin J. Pacyna, of Dickson City; and Aiden J. Yuncker, of New Cumberland.

Penn College has several IT-related degree options, including the baccalaureate in information assurance & cyber security. For information on those and other programs offered by Penn College’s School of Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520 or visit www.pct.edu/et.

Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development. Visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.