SPRING, TEXAS — Some high school students in the Spring Independent School District are now learning more about cybersecurity by taking online courses offered by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) as part of their curriculum. The students at Carl Wunsche Sr. High School will complete an introductory course on cybersecurity, which is eligible for college credit through the American Council on Education (ACE).
TEEX Knowledge Engineering Division has developed a training portal to allow the Spring ISD students easier access to the online cybersecurity training offered by TEEX, through its National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center. The cybersecurity courses are DHS/FEMA-funded and offered at no charge.
“We are excited about this additional learning opportunity for our students,” said Cynthia Williams, Spring ISD Career and Technical Education director. “We are piloting the program this year at Wunsche, and we are looking forward to launching it at Dekaney, Spring and Westfield high schools in the fall of 2020.”
Earning college credit is an additional benefit to the students and their families, said Tony Tasillo, Manager of TEEX Educational Initiatives. If students successfully complete all 10 online cybersecurity courses offered through TEEX at no cost, they are eligible for up to 10 hours of college credit through ACE, which is accepted at more than 400 U.S. colleges and universities.
“This training will benefit students, not only as current computer users, but also in their future careers after high school,” Tasillo added. “This is part of our outreach to high school students, who can benefit from a number of training opportunities available through TEEX, including cybersecurity, forensic science and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training. By exposing them to TEEX training in high school, we hope to gain new long-term customers who will keep coming to TEEX for continuing education for the rest of their career.”
TEEX training is also offered as part of the curriculum at several other high schools in Texas, including A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, Bryan High School, the High School for Law and Justice in Houston, Ellison High School in Killeen, and several more.
TEEX is also a Texas Education Agency (TEA)-approved provider, so Texas teachers can complete TEEX courses that align with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and count the training hours as continuing education credit toward the renewal of their Texas Teacher’s Certificate.