The Anne Arundel County Council has approved $1.1 million to expand cybersecurity programs at the county's community college, which have attracted scores of students hoping to win jobs associated with the expansion of Fort Meade.
The bill authorizes Anne Arundel Community College to use $1.1 million of its fund balance from the fiscal year 2010 budget to expand the program, which will create a new lab at Glen Burnie Town Center. The county will reimburse the college by floating bonds in the fiscal year 2012.
Fort Meade is expected to gain about 20,000 jobs in the national military base realignment and closure process known as BRAC. As part of the realignment, Fort Meade will be home to the U.S. Cyber Command, the military's effort to mount and defend against computer attacks.
"This funding will go a long way toward preparing our students to compete in the global economy," said County Executive John R. Leopold. "Anne Arundel County is the epicenter of cybersecurity in the nation, and the jobs are here. We must capitalize on this opportunity to make our students the most competitive for these technology-based jobs."
Leopold had sought $2 million in funding for the lab in the fiscal year 2011 capital budget, but the council rejected the proposal because of budget constraints. Enrollment for the center has more than quadrupled since the program began five years ago, college officials said. The college has two cyber labs and estimates it needs about six to satisfy demand.
In July, the federal government awarded a $4.9 million grant to train workers for the Cyber Command. Leopold said much of that funding, which was shared with a consortium of community colleges and work force agencies in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Carroll and Howard counties, went to operating costs for the lab.
nicole.fuller@baltsun.com