Walmart is one of the biggest employers in the country. According to Forbes, the retail behemoth is headquartered in Arkansas and is worth $514 billion. Wallethub has classified Arkansas as the 6th worst state economy in the country due to its recent lack of innovation in high-tech occupations, as well as its GDP growth, annual family income, exports per capita, and unemployment rate. However, as a stand-alone state, the state’s cheap business costs allow service and tech enterprises to thrive. Distribution and logistics, aerospace and defence, and corporate and shared services are just a few of the main businesses that contribute to Arkansas’ economic development. Software development and data management services are among those industries, employing 1.3 million people in the state. Hewlett-Packard chose Arkansas for its big customer support centre and regional industrial development centre, while LiveRamp Holdings, Inc performs more than 1 trillion transactions for more than 7,000 global clients. Little Rock Technological, Genesis Technology Incubator, and The Venture Center are just a few of the state’s technology companies. Arkansas’ long-term aims projections aid in the implementation of cybersecurity measures, all of which are fueled by government legislation and corporate globalisation, in order to transform the state into a commercial and technology powerhouse.
Growing Awareness of Cybersecurity in Arkansas
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson recently signed a cybersecurity proposal into law, requiring the state’s Economic Development Commission (AEDC) to design a robust cyber defence strategy. Senate Bill 632 will give public education opportunities in cybersecurity and defence, as well as threat assessments and other technology and security activities for corporate companies. The Arkansas Cybersecurity Office combines regional resources to secure government operations and sets information technology security policy. Through collaboration with the National Cybersecurity Alliance, the office launched the “Stop. Think. Connect” campaign as a national public awareness effort to raise understanding of cyber dangers and advocate safer online activity. Arkansas’ cybersecurity measures have resulted in an accessible platform for thousands of IT users and management services through Arkansas eGovernment. Its Information Systems Division has connected more than 200 experts and given them with equipment hosting, network, and professional services. Monitoring router and server security, monitoring networks for server and router vulnerabilities, and aiding customers with router and server security tools are just a few of the services the office provides for businesses. Virtual private networks were also developed by the Division of Information Systems, allowing individuals to gain secure remote access to state computing resources and information.
Cybersecurity Degrees in Arkansas
Arkansas offers a variety of opportunities for residents to obtain a cybersecurity education, equipping students with the skills and tools they need to pursue rewarding jobs in the field of information technology. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s commercial venture, Arkansas Inc, serves as a supervisory tool for diversifying the state’s economy through investments and employment creation. The Emerging Analytics Center (EAC) at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, which provides data analytics and data visualisation to deliver big data solutions, is one of the state’s milestones. The venture also established high-performance computing research capabilities at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE
Associate degrees in cybersecurity provide students with the opportunity to master the fundamentals of firewall protection methods, software applications, decoding sensitive data information, and security breach prevention approaches. Associate degrees, which can be earned at any community college, vocational institution, or four-year university, allow students to transfer credit toward advanced degrees such as bachelor’s and master’s degrees. An associate of applied science is a one-year degree that does not allow for credit transfer.
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
Bachelor’s degrees in cybersecurity provide progressive training in network security, information systems, advanced web development, and software development, allowing students to learn to apply cybersecurity methods in network security, information systems, advanced web development, and software development. The University of Arkansas provides a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, as well as a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Networking, communications, system analysis, digital systems, and intelligent systems are among the specialisation topics available in both computer science and engineering bachelor’s degrees. Students obtain experience in assessing computer problems, designing computer-based solutions, analysing and interpreting data, and formulating engineering solutions through bachelor of science programmes that emphasise personal and social responsibility. The bachelor of arts in computer science offers the same educational opportunities as the bachelor’s degree in computer science, but it also allows students to double major and pursue other interests. A minor in computer science and a minor in information assurance are also available at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock and Fayetteville, which teach the fundamentals of programming foundations and programming models. Students can get a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Southern Arkansas University, with a focus on cybersecurity protection. This degree is available on-campus as well as through a hybrid campus/online programme.
MASTER’S DEGREE
Master’s degrees are generally focused on polishing the abilities required for cybersecurity leadership, as well as studying and informing the public about the most up-to-date digital security and innovation approaches. Students can earn Master of Science degrees in Computer Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Arkansas. System analysis and networking are regular requirements for both computer engineering and computer science degrees. Nonetheless, the engineering and computer science degrees differ in that the engineering degree focuses on hardware and systems, whereas the computer science degree focuses on software and theory. Students can receive a Master of Science in Computer and Information Science with a cybersecurity and privacy option from Southern Arkansas University. Students will acquire both practical and theoretical computer science approaches in this degree programme. Students can get broad understanding in security analytics, cyber defence, and privacy compliance thanks to the cybersecurity and privacy concentration.
PH.D. PROGRAMS
Students interested in theories, models, and approaches for information asset management can enrol in the Information Quality Track of the Integrated Computing Ph.D. Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Data governance, data management, identity resolution, data protection, and privacy are all core research and development areas for the information quality degree.
CYBERSECURITY CERTIFICATES IN ARKANSAS
A graduate certificate in cybersecurity is available from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Computer security, database security, secure digital systems design, and advanced cryptography are among the topics covered in the graduate certificate.
Cybersecurity Programs in Arkansas
According to Cyberseek, there are now 5,009 employees working in the cybersecurity profession in Arkansas, with 1,399 job vacancies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly income for a cybersecurity analyst in Arkansas is $37.13, with an annual average wage of $77,220.
Cybersecurity in Arkansas
Arkansas has evolved from a cotton and agriculture powerhouse to a financial, manufacturing, and software development hub. As the state prepares for a major influx of tech companies over the next ten years, Arkansas is focusing on expanding its cybersecurity measures. As more tech companies build headquarters and offices in the state, the state’s unemployment rate should fall, resulting in more cybersecurity jobs being created.
