With technology impacting nearly every aspect of our lives, it’s not surprising that information technology occupations are among the fastest-growing. And, one of the fields that has seen the largest chasm between industry needs and qualified applicants is cybersecurity. Both small and large companies need cybersecurity professionals more than ever. Many of those professionals can get their start at Rowan College at Burlington County. 

Join RCBC on December 10, at rcbc.edu/podcast, as they invite Information Technology Instructor Paul Warner, Deborah Chief Information Officer Rich Temple and RCBC Information Technology alum Alassane Togola to speak about all things IT and cybersecurity. They’ll cover what differentiates RCBC’s programs from other colleges’, what it’s like to study and find a mentor at RCBC and how RCBC prepares its students for careers in the IT field. 

“As an instructor, my goal is for every student in my program to learn,” Warner said. “Alassane wanted a job in the IT field, and he would search job postings online, and find the skills he needed to learn. He would then ask me to show him how to master those skills, so he could go to an interview equipped with that experience. One of the greatest things we do here is empower our students in this way. We have students who teach and share their knowledge with other students. In fact, I have several students who want to come back and teach. They enjoy the program, and will fit directly in it because they went through it.” 

Togola, who immigrated to the United States from Mali, West Africa in 2014, now serves as a junior system administrator for Qnectus. He credits Warner for always making himself available to students both in- and outside of the classroom. As a student at RCBC, Togola often extended his time on campus into the evening hours, meeting with Warner to ask questions and pick his brain about all things IT. 

“The more we spoke, the more I realized this (IT) is something I would want to do,” Togola said. “I always had questions, and he always made himself available to answer them.”

RCBC’s IT classes average about 15-20 students in size, providing a smaller student-professor ratio. Students often hear from industry experts, including Rich Temple, who’s participated in several town halls, speaking to students about the industry applicability of skills they learn in class. RCBC also partners with employers to ensure their programs meet industry standards. Temple asserts that the college is always getting better.

“I’m very impressed by RCBC,” Temple shared. “In many cases, I would rather hire someone from RCBC over a $70K per year private school because RCBC, under Paul’s leadership, gives students real-world applicable experience. They contextualize learning for practical applications. Beyond that, Paul is very interested in student development and making himself accessible to students.” 

RCBC’s information technology students have fared well with regard to job placement and success rates. 

“We have students employed in a diverse spectrum of cybersecurity,” Warner said. “Employers do seek out our students, as we receive many internship requests and opportunities. In fact, 12-14 of my students are now working full-time for Lockheed Martin. Some students will come back to tell me they're making more money than their parents.” 

Don’t forget to tune in on December 10 at rcbc.edu/podcast.