PCC Designated as National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense

Piedmont Community College (PCC) has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) through 2030.

This prestigious designation means that PCC’s cyber defense courses are aligned with the national standards for the Department of Defense and the National Security Agency. PCC is among 24 community and four-year colleges in North Carolina designated as a CAE-CD. This national credibility gives PCC students the capability to be candidates for entry to mid-level cyber security positions such as a systems analyst, security operations analyst and more.

To obtain this certification, PCC information technology instructors spent nearly a year and half collecting data and working to align existing courses to the national standard. Chris S. Davis, director of IT programs, said the next five years will involve collegewide participation in learning about cybersecurity and its importance.

“Cyber is not just IT anymore,” Davis said. “Cyber is healthcare, cyber is manufacturing, cyber is criminal justice. It’s in history and art. It’s all of these different disciplines across the board and protecting themselves and their assets.”

“We are excited about incorporating cybersecurity awareness and skills into various disciplines and curricula across our college,” Dr. David Townsend, dean of university transfer and general education said. “Our faculty will engage in professional development to integrate these concepts into their courses, and our students will have opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts.”

To learn more about PCC’s IT programs, visit piedmontcc.edu/itprograms.

Pictured left to right: Chris S. Davis, Director of IT Programs; Scottie Crockett, Instructor, Information Technology; Janet Bottoms, Instructor, Web Technologies; Dr. David Townsend, Dean, University Transfer and General Education