Colorado Springs has Potential to Launch Careers in Cyber

The cybersecurity industry is booming in Colorado Springs, all that’s left is to train the students and military veterans who call it home.

Patty Bonvallet, technology development manager at Boecore, believes it’s well within reach. Speaking during a panel on the first stop of Colorado Tech Tour, she lauded the potential of capturing students’ interest early. Boecore has started an apprenticeship program for high school students to get on-the-job training.

“Interest and aptitude is all it takes,” she said. “It’s not just for those in IT. It’s a lot of psychology and sociology to be able to think like the hacker to defend well. With a little bit of training and a few certifications, we can get them started.”

The panel agreed that there’s a long way to go to fully realize what the Springs has to offer. As Denver and Boulder solidify their strengths, there’s room to carve out a niche down south.

“Companies are opening satellite offices down here to draw from our great graduates and to tap into the lower cost of living,” said Chris Franz, chief development officer at Exponential Impact.

There’s a wealth of students, military veterans and those in active duty who can accelerate the Springs’ push to lead cybersecurity research and training. Now it’s time to five them the tools.