TSTC grads help in fight against cybercrime

(HUTTO, Texas) - Texans are positioned to help lead the United States in the battle against cybercrime.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Texas had the third-highest level of employment for information security analysts in the country, with almost 15,000 jobs in the state in May 2023. Texas State Technical College's Cybersecurity program is doing its part to fill the increasing need for those workers.

Stuart McLennan teaches cybersecurity at TSTC's East Williamson County campus in Hutto.

"Most of our fourth- and fifth-semester students (in the program) already have jobs in tech-related industries," McLennan said.

The positions that some of the program's graduates fill are with organizations such as Cisco and the Department of Defense.

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and two certificates of completion in Cybersecurity, and an advanced technical certificate in Digital Forensics Specialist.

TSTC's Cybersecurity program has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (NCAE-CD) program through the academic year 2028. TSTC is the only school in the greater Austin area with the designation.

"TSTC was redesignated as an NCAE-CD program in November 2023," McLennan said. "That's when the designation went from campus by campus to statewide."

The median salary for an information security analyst in Texas is $115,040, according to onetonline.org. The site also projected that the need for these professionals in Texas would grow 50% between 2020 and 2030.

For more information about TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

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