iQ4 and Saint Peter’s University Launch First Neurodiverse Cybersecurity Pre-Apprenticeship Program Nationally
Background
Saint Peter’s University was thrilled to offer a new version of the iQ4 courses it hs been offering for the past eight semesters once iQ4 developed a new program designed for neurodiverse students. The new course was built by industry and iQ4 neurodiversity subject matter experts and includes new content, audio, video, and the look and feel conducive for a student that requires academic accommodations.
Saint Peter’s University
Saint Peter’s University is a private Jesuit University in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded as Saint Peter’s College in 1872 by the Society of Jesus. The University offers over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 2,600 undergraduate and 800 graduate students. The University offers a B.S. in Computer Science and Cybersecurity and an M.S. in Cybersecurity.
The Need
Saint Peter’s University wanted to provide students that require academic accommodations with a new iQ4 Cybersecurity neurodiversity pre-apprenticeship program.
The Solution
iQ4’s Cybersecurity Workforce Alliance Digital Pre-Apprenticeship program now includes a version of projects for neurodiverse students. iQ4’s CWA Cybersecurity Digital Apprenticeship program integrates technical instruction and on-the-job training. iQ4, is a national sponsor of the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) apprenticeship program.
“As a neurodiverse human, I’m passionate about ensuring our neurodiverse community has EVERY opportunity available to help them succeed. The iQ4 virtual course levels the playing field for all learners that need academic accommodations and leads them to career pathways and job opportunities in cybersecurity”.”
The CWA (a division of iQ4) provides 8 - 12 week pre-apprenticeship programs equating to up to 1 year of on-the-job experience, in conjunction with universities and employers. This results in (1) a student acquiring a macro-credential for a DoL Occupation and (2) a pathway into a cybersecurity analyst apprenticeship.
The Macro-Credential: Related Technical Instruction (RTI) and On-the-Job Training (OJT)
RTI: Students/learners acquire RTI by taking courses from their University and/or from taking technical training courses from professional organizations and earning certificates.
OJT: Student/learners become interns and pre-apprentices and acquire OJT by taking courses through iQ4’s Cybersecurity Assessment program. The OJT acquired results in earning a Macro-Credential.
The Use-Case
iQ4 started offering courses at Saint Peter’s University in Spring of 2018. Two iQ4 course offerings were incorporated in the University course catalog – The Threat Within and Cyber Crimes, both 3-credit courses offered in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences Curriculum. The courses run every Semester.
Saint Peter’s University wanted to offer the same iQ4 “Applied Learning” experience courses for students that require academic accommodation to help them learn more about cybersecurity and point them to career pathways and jobs. As part of the course, the iQ4 Wallet was provided to each student that holds a student’s skills, credentials, education, and work experience, identifies skills gaps, and points to live job requisitions by geo-location preference.
The new course has the same cadence as the previous iQ4 courses run at the University. iQ4 mentors and employers join the weekly sessions at a pre-determined time. Each course consists of teams of 6 students. Each student selects a cybersecurity job role defined by the NICE Framework. Students work on use cases and project challenges prepared by employers and prepare deliverables that are presented to mentors for critique and assessment. Students acquired up to 350 hours of on-the-job training due to the knowledge, skills, and abilities they acquired by completing the iQ4 course.
Results
During the past 4 years, over 200 Saint Peter’s University students, including special academic accommodation students, from majors like computer science, business, and criminal justice, have completed the iQ4 Cybersecurity Digital Pre-Apprenticeship program and have landed great jobs.
iQ4 overall results, past four years (across all academic institutions):
6,000+ students completed the program
62% of students obtained an internship
45% of students are women
25% of students have full-time cybersecurity jobs
Students also earn a Macro-Credential in Cybersecurity and are ready on day one for a job as a cybersecurity analyst, having acquired the knowledge, skills, and abilities for that occupation.
“The new iQ4 program is important because it addresses the challenge according to MarketWatch, over the next 10 years, 1,000,000 young adults on the neurodiversity spectrum will be entering the job market. Many companies have corporate social responsibility programs with the goal to attract and hire employees that have the strong skills that a neurodiverse person possesses. It is well known that people on the spectrum are ideally suited for roles like programming, operations, pattern matching, threat detection, and forensics.”