For Immediate Release

Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: April 29, 2024

IT program shifts to enhance cybersecurity

Fennimore -

The first cohort in the IT-Cybersecurity and Network Administration program began in Fall 2023 and will graduate in May 2025. At the conclusion of the Spring 2024 semester, these students will have earned their IT-Network Systems Technician Technical Diploma. That is made possible through the Career Pathway Degree Model. As students progress through the program they are able to earn multiple industry-specific certifications.

“Our students learn about the basics of how a network is managed, supported, and the tools needed to troubleshoot common issues,” said Aaron Holverson, cybersecurity instructor. “In the second year they learn how to implement and monitor security in a defensive role.

The decision to shift to a cyber security education model was driven my market demand. “We amped up an additional security class in each semester,” said Holverson. “It’s a more attractive degree to students. Our graduates will have the opportunity to grow into these types of jobs.”

Following graduation, Holverson expects students to go into a network administration role, where that role relies heavily on securing a network infrastructure. In addition. They could move into larger organizations that has specific titles for cyber security. For instance, working in a security operations center, could be a viable option. “They would be monitoring and investigating possible threats in a security operations center,” said Holverson. “From there, they could advance into more of a security analyst or engineer type position. And, they could grow from there, depending on additional education.”

In addition to the classroom and lab work, some of Holverson’s students are working on campus, with the Information Technology Services team members. There are currently four students from the program working on campus. “In collaboration with the Charger Technology Support Center and Client Services team, we’re strategically aligning our IT programs at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College to meet the evolving market demands,” said Heath Ahnen, executive director of Information Services at Southwest Tech. “By emphasizing cybersecurity and infrastructure support, SWTC is preparing students for today’s roles and equipping them with the skills to safeguard tomorrow’s networks. It is a shift that ensures our graduates are not just job-ready but poised to excel in the ever-changing landscape of information technology.”

Throughout the students’ two years in the program, not only will they earn an associate degree, they will also earn certificates along the way. Those certificates prove the students’ knowledge base, compared against the industry. “Those certificates are very helpful outside of Southwest Tech’s district,” said Holverson.

This year has also seen the implementation of block scheduling in the program. The students discuss topics in one class, until completed and then move on to the next class. Traditional, students would study multiple classes each day.

The program also offers the HyFlex option. Students can attend in person, or they can be present in class while online. That has been beneficial to students who work or have an illness in the family.

“The students and I love both the block scheduling and the HyFlex opportunities,” said Holverson. “We are able to dig deep into the content and study and practice, and then you’re done. We can set that aside and learn a whole new topic.”

• More information about the program here.

| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, is one of 16 institutions that comprise the Wisconsin Technical College System. Southwest Tech offers more than 60 programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are offered on campus, online, HyFlex and in a blended format. The college provides apprenticeship, certificate, technical diploma, and associate degree programs that respond to district workforce needs and prepare student for family-sustaining jobs and career advancement. |