STLCC to Host Cybersecurity Career Expo

Craig Chott wants high schoolers to add cybersecurity to their list of career possibilities, especially if their community is underrepresented in the industry.  

“There are amazing cybersecurity careers that are not on the radar of the average high school student,” said Chott, the cybersecurity program coordinator and associate professor of information systems at St. Louis Community College. “There’s a real need for talent right here in St. Louis.” 

STLCC recently became a member of the Gateway Higher Education Cybersecurity Consortium, and through its association with the Global Center for Cybersecurity, is collaborating with area educational institutions and employers to build a pipeline to expose high school students to cybersecurity careers. The College will host a Cybersecurity Career Expo Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in STLCC-Florissant Valley’s Student Center Multipurpose Room. 

Approximately 100 seniors who attend high schools in communities underrepresented in the cybersecurity industry are invited to the expo. A sampling of the schools includes Carnahan STEAM High School of the Future, East St. Louis Senior High School, Jennings High School and Riverview Gardens High School. The students’ information technology and career and technical education teachers and/or chaperones will also attend.  

The expo will introduce students to basic principles of cybersecurity, the vast diversity of cybersecurity careers, and immerse them in real-world scenarios that cybersecurity professionals face through “Capture the Flag.”

The game allows student teams to compete through a complex set of challenges that teach analytical thinking skills, teamwork and creativity. 

Students will learn about STLCC’s cybersecurity degree program, scholarships that put education within reach and have an opportunity to network with employers and other educators.