Industry Involvement
Business Industry Leadership Team
Under the NSF ATE Ohio Region Cybersecurity Technician Training Pipeline Grant Project (No: 1501194), Columbus State convened an industry advisory board to focus specifically on cybersecurity. The advisory group held its first meeting in 2016 to provide insights and feedback for the College’s Cybersecurity AAS degree.
In addition to providing validation for the Cybersecurity degree, the Industry Advisor Board was involved in the College’s plans to become a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-DC) as well as in various summer programming and outreach initiatives.
In 2021, under the NSF ATE IT Work Student Flexible Apprenticeship Model Grant Project (No. 1902211), the industry board format was revised, and the Business Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model was adopted. The BILT model is nationally recognized for its effectiveness in connecting community colleges with business leaders. It originated at the National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Technology Center (CTC0 based at Collin College. The NSF CTC found that engaging businesses and industry to actively co-lead, rather than just advise, a program’s focus and curriculum produces positive results for students and employers.
The BILT model positions businesses in a co-leadership role for college technical programs so they have direct input into the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that program graduates should possess 12-36 months into the future. This BILT focuses on a single program rather than all the programs in the division, and BILT members serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The goal is for the program to produce candidates that businesses are much more likely to hire. BILT informed changes to curriculum continue to be CSCC Faculty driven based on additional content such as CAE designation requirements, the educational accreditation process, and the goals and objectives of Columbus State.
BILT Members
The Cybersecurity BILT includes representatives from the following Central Ohio companies:
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Program and Course Continuous Improvement
The BILT model gives the faculty relevant industry-specific feedback that may be used by the faculty to make adjustments to courses. The faculty and BILT members meet twice per year. The first meeting reviews the KSA’s for Cybersecurity and the second meeting reviews Cybersecurity trends that the BILT members are encountering at their organizations.
CSCC is actively recruiting additional BILT members. Organizations that are interested should reach out to any member of the Cybersecurity Faculty for additional information. https://www.cscc.edu/academics/departments/computer-it/cybersecurity/contacts.shtml