Students at Arizona Western College in Yuma will be able to earn certificates in cyber security thanks to a new lab college officials formally opened last week.
The Fernandez Family Cyber Security Lab will allow AWC students to earn certificates through Fortinet starting with the Fortinet Foundational Certificate, the Fortinet Associate Certificate and other professional certifications including Network Security and Security Operations.
AWC student Sirius Ortiz said he plans to be one of the first students to earn that certificate.
"Cybersecurity is the future," Ortiz said. "It seems like a good career to go into."
The 840-square-foot facility is located in the Business Administration (BA) building on the Yuma main campus and previously served as the e-sports arena. That is now located in the new Matador Activity Center (MAC) that also houses KAWC and KOFA Border Radio.
AWC cybersecurity professor Quentin Hennig told KAWC the lab will be fully operational for the next fall semester for students.
AWC officials said the cyber security lab was funded as part of a $15 million allocation for workforce development programs that the college received during the 2023 Legislative Session.
It is named after the Fernandez family, including Charlene Fernandez, a former state representative and currently the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Arizona Director for Rural Development, and her son Brian, an Arizona state senator.
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Stay tuned to KAWC for more on the cyber security lab.
