Sault College board approves new cybersecurity program

“Cybersecurity is the number one searched for program. When students are looking for programs at Sault College, they’re looking for cyber security.”

That from David Orazietti, Sault College Dean of Aviation, Trades and Technology, Natural Environment and Business, addressing the college’s board of governors at its regular monthly meeting Thursday.

With that, the board approved a new, one year, two semester Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate program as recommended by the college’s advocacy committee.

The college will now seek grant funding for the program from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in order to launch the program in September 2022. 

“It’s actually a very good fit (for graduates of college information technology programs),” Orazietti said, the program open to those with an Ontario college diploma, Ontario college advanced diploma, degree, or equivalent in information technology areas such as computer engineering, software, hardware, networking or a related discipline.

In the program’s second term, students will participate in a project in which they will make recommendations and prepare cyber defense solutions for active businesses.

Graduates with knowledge of how to build a stable and secure network in the modern, cyber attack-prone world are sought by employers, the college stated in a report to the board.

Job prospects for graduates of the program will be good.

It is projected that from 2017 to 2026, there will be 100,000 new jobs in cybersecurity.

A recent internet job search shows there are over 240 full-time job openings in cybersecurity in Ontario, the college stated.

Sault College already has a two-year cybersecurity graduate certificate program at its Toronto campus, exclusively serving international students.

The college, through the one year, two semester graduate certificate program, is aiming to retain and train domestic students.

The board also approved a request to issue Ontario College Certificates to apprentices when they complete their final level of in-class apprenticeship training.

Receiving an Ontario College Certificate is of benefit to apprentices by giving them opportunities to go on to diploma, advanced diploma and degree programs, the college stated in a report to the board.

Certificates will be granted to apprentices in programs such as:

• Cook
• Hairstyling
• Automotive Service Technician
• Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
• Truck and Coach Technician
• Construction and Maintenance Electrician
• Industrial Electrician
• General Machinist
• Steamfitting
• Plumber

Ron Common, Sault College president, also provided a fall 2021 enrolment update to the board.

Common’s report showed there are 1,585 domestic students enrolled at the college’s Sault campus, representing a seven per cent increase over 2020.

There are 889 international students at the college’s Sault campus, a 23 per cent increase over 2020.

At 2,474 students overall at the Sault campus, there is a 12 per cent increase in enrolment over last year.