The state of Arkansas has met another team that will work to propel computer science and cybersecurity education, Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s office reported a week ago.
Made through official request, the Computer Science and Cybersecurity Task Force is the most recent in various advances the state has taken to propel education around these issues. As indicated by the declaration, the team will see territories including industry pathways into IT and cybersecurity, post-secondary arrangement methodologies and objectives, information science and cybersecurity in educational plans, and work-based learning open doors for students in these zones.
“When we passed the Computer Science Initiative during my first month in office in 2015, Arkansas moved ahead of the pack nationally in computer science education,” Hutchinson said in an announcement. “But we can’t rest on that success. Technology moves quickly. If we are going to give our students the best computer science education possible, we must constantly assess our progress and implement the programs that will attract and inspire our students and educators.”
The governor’s office additionally released a rundown of the team individuals, which incorporates an assorted variety of authorities from various foundations, including state offices, look into establishments and private sellers and associations.
One of those individuals, Lee Watson, has been engaged with other state cybersecurity-centered projects, for example, the state’s Cyber Initiative, which has tried to unite open and private elements in the point of working up Arkansas’ general security pose.
Watson runs the Forge Institute, which structures open and private partnerships to propel IT and development.
“I’m a bit of a disruptive thinker and I’d like to think that’s what the Governor is looking for — out-of-the-box ideas that can help move our state forward — with regards to STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] education and opportunities for students,” said Watson, in an email to Government Technology.
Watson clarified that while he hadn’t seen a rundown of issues the team would see, he envisioned it would cover everything “from curriculum and teacher/student incentives to ways we can stimulate more collaboration between academia and private sector employers.”
The team is planned to convey an underlying report on its discoveries to the representative’s office by the following summer, with a last report conveyed that fall.
“The task force will look at computer coding/science, data science and cybersecurity — these are certainly cornerstone to the jobs of tomorrow. And we won’t stop with the basics — if we aren’t looking at the effects quantum computing will have on these subjects and our workforce, then we’ve really missed an opportunity,” Watson composed. “Many folks — several on this task force — have been working with our elected and industrial leaders for years to build a strong pipeline of talent in the state and if you look at all the programs and outcomes, their efforts are bearing fruit. This task force will help accelerate our state and create better economic opportunities for our students and stronger talent for industry.”
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