TA News

The course description for a new Cybersecurity class is clear about the importance of the course’s content in today’s society: “Hackers are working 24/7 to get your data. They want your bank accounts, your passwords; they want access to your computer and your network.” The course, a collaboration among River Bend Career and Technical Center, River Valley Community College, and TA is preparing students to address these issues and enter the emerging technical field of cybersecurity – where skilled professionals are in high demand.

River Bend is offering Cybersecurity as a two-year, half-day program consisting of four semester-long courses that are closely aligned with the RVCC Cybersecurity curriculum. Housed at Thetford Academy and taught by former longtime TA STEM faculty and robotics coach, Marc Chabot, Cybersecurity is available to all students enrolled in a high school served by RBCTC. Chabot, who returned from his brief retirement to teach the RBCTC course, is excited about the collaboration, and noted that program development also had enthusiastic support from local cybersecurity expert and TA parent John Berry and his colleagues.

Marc Chabot has also signed on to serve as Vermont’s representative to the nonprofit organization Teach Cyber and to be a part of a brand new collaborative group that “will build momentum for cybersecurity education across the country, and allow leaders to develop partnerships and share ideas.” With the momentum growing in the field of cybersecurity, TA is excited to be a part of bringing it to the students of the Upper Valley.