Cybersecurity and Data Analytics Bootcamp Grads Ready for Jobs as Cyber Skills Center Graduates First Class

The Cyber Skills Center at Tulsa Community College celebrated its first group of graduates that completed an accelerated, online 24-week bootcamp in either Cybersecurity or Data Analytics.

Following the graduation ceremony, the graduates showcased what they learned during Demo Day, an interactive networking experience to connect graduates with industry professionals so they can receive high-level feedback and career insights.

The Cyber Skills Center, operated in partnership between TCC, Tulsa Innovation Labs, edX, and Madison Strategies Group, is designed to develop a diverse group of individuals with the tech skills needed for the rapidly expanding career fields at no-cost to qualifying Tulsa-area residents.

“We are building an inclusive tech ecosystem in the Tulsa region where individuals from all backgrounds have the same access to high-paying jobs,” said Jeremy Wade, Cyber Skills Center director. “This first cohort of 34 graduates, with more than 60% people of color and 40% women, demonstrates the potential of a diverse tech workforce in Tulsa.”

With an average age of 34, some participants, like Leah Nash, are already employed and aspiring for upward mobility because of the training.

“This has been a tremendous opportunity to build additional skills in an area that I enjoyed. Already having a degree in sociology, this adds value as an employee and allows the possibility of opening more doors,” she said.

Other graduates are actively job searching or exploring additional education or training options. Since Cyber Skills Center launched in 2022, it has evolved, so have the employment opportunities for graduates. The Cyber Skills Center is partnering with inTulsa to help expand employment resources and identify job opportunities for local companies.

“inTulsa needs partnerships exactly like the Cyber Skills Center to attract cutting-edge companies to hire Tulsans,” said Megan Thomas, Managing Director of inTulsa. “We already see immense hiring interest in the candidates coming out of this program and are thrilled to have already connected Cyber Skills Center graduates to interviews and job opportunities.”

The early success in connecting Cyber Skills Center graduates with job opportunities is a testament to the power of collaboration and commitment to creating an inclusive tech workforce in Tulsa. By working together, industry partners, educational institutions, and community organizations are fostering an environment that supports growth and innovation.

“We have developed the Cyber Skills Center as the place where individuals enter the tech ecosystem and begin the process of transitioning into one of Tulsa’s ‘right to win’ technology fields,” said Conor Godfrey, Director of Cyber at Tulsa Innovation Labs. “Cyber and Data are fast growing job categories in their own right, but also key to enabling other sectors in Tulsa’s tech niche such as virtual health, mobility, and energy.”

The second Cyber Skills Center class has already started with scholarships awarded to 40 students - 20 in Data Analytics and 20 in Cybersecurity. They were selected from more than 300 who submitted initial interest forms, participated in an interview process, and completed an application to the program.

With an average age of 36, the second cohort is comprised of more than 80% individuals from underserved or underrepresented populations, including 75% female or individuals who identify as non-binary, and 30% black individuals.

With so much interest from the community and across the state, the Cyber Skills Center has opened up additional spots, not covered by the scholarships, for individuals to pay. Applications to apply for the scholarships open in August for the third cohort. For more information, visit tulsacc.edu/cybercenter.