A cybersecurity boot camp to grow Philadelphia’s digital workforce

The College of Liberal and Professional Studies and School of Engineering and Applied Science are now offering cybersecurity and coding boot camps on campus.

The College of Liberal and Professional Studies and School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) announced the launch of a cybersecurity boot camp to be held on Penn’s campus. Geared toward adult learners, the Penn Cybersecurity Boot Camp will help supply Philadelphia with more cybersecurity professionals, filling a critical need among employers across the region.

A class of adults sitting at long tables working on laptops
A Penn LPS Coding Boot Camp class in session at the Pennovation Center. (Image: Penn Engineering)

“Cybercrime is one of the most pressing issues of our time when you consider the yearly loss of trillions of dollars and billions of people’s privacy,” says Boon Thau Loo, associate dean of master’s and professional programs at SEAS. “This job-oriented program will provide professionals in the Philly area with the sophisticated tech skills to protect organizations against increasing threats in our digital economy.”

As more companies go digital and require their own dedicated security teams, Philadelphia employers are hungry for talent to fill roles with titles like cybersecurity analyst, systems security administrator, and cyber network defender. Last year, job openings requiring cybersecurity skills spiked more than 35 percent nationally, according to data from Burning Glass Labor Insights. Employers in the Philadelphia area alone struggled to fill more than 10,000 open roles requiring cybersecurity skills.

Read more at Penn Engineering.