According to Forbes, Hawaii’s tourism industry accounts for 90% of the state’s GDP, while the installation of US military bases contributes to a $97 billion economy. Hawaii’s weather, on the other hand, does not shield it from high corporate taxes and energy prices. Due to the state’s substantial reliance on imports, Hawaii has some of the highest energy and household prices in the country. Tourism and connections with Japan, as well as Australia, Canada, and the United States mainland, are critical to Hawaii’s growth. While the state’s primary sources of revenue include tourism, government, and manufacturing, software development and cybersecurity have been slowly affecting the state’s earnings in recent years. According to GovTech, the state faces up to 45 million cyberattacks per day, making cybersecurity measures a top priority for citizens and government officials. Hawaii’s experiences with cybersecurity intrusions have left many residents unprepared, as a leaked photo of the state’s emergency agency password resulted in a false warning for a nuclear strike by North Korea, leaving many residents concerned about the state’s security in the future. Today, Hawaii has an estimated 31,573 tech professionals, with an average yearly tech industry pay of $85,400, compared to $48,980 for the state’s private sector. According to Cyberstates and Comptia, Hawaii ranks 44th in net tech employment, accounting for 4.5 percent of the state’s overall workforce.
Growing awareness of cybersecurity in Hawaii
Hawaii has started various attempts to improve its tech sector and raise cybersecurity awareness. Governor David Y. Ige, together with 38 other governors, signed a multi-state cybersecurity compact in 2017 to improve state cybersecurity and expand the cyber workforce. The agreement is part of the NGA’s “Meet the Threat: Governments Confront the Cyber Challenge” effort, which encourages states to improve their cybersecurity governance. The Hawaii Technology Development Corporation has started expanding its tech service training programmes to help the local workforce, allowing the Employment & Training Fund to help local businesses. It also provides DevLeague, a technical training programme in software engineering and cybersecurity, with training classes for IT personnel. The state’s Office of Planning and Enterprise Technology Services collaborated to create a new geographic information system (GIS) that allows for greater data exchange, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility. Hawaii’s data-sharing capabilities have become centralised as a result of these improvements, allowing users to exchange information beyond the source agency and standardise data so that it is up-to-date and widely available for analysis. Hawaii has teamed with the SANS Institute to offer K-12 and university students the option to take free cybersecurity aptitude exams in order to encourage them to pursue professions in cybersecurity. The CyberStart programme fosters an interest in jobs in information technology and security. In collaboration with the National Security Agency, the state created cybersecurity internships and grants to encourage people to pursue jobs in the field.
Cybersecurity Degrees in Hawaii
Hawaii’s cybersecurity initiatives have resulted in a variety of degrees and specialties across the state’s schools. Students interested in cybersecurity can find various options to learn and pursue a career in cybersecurity through the Cyber Security Coordination Center at the University of Hawaii West O’ahu. The centre collaborates with its affiliates and other institutions to build cyber defence coordination and link them to local and regional security partners. The coordinating centre is one of the top three percent of institutions in the US for cybersecurity and information technology education.
ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE
Students can get an associate of science degree in computing, security, and network technologies at the University of Hawaii at Honolulu Community College. Students will be able to meet the specific criteria of today’s technology sector as a result of the degree programme. The five-semester programme includes core studies in fundamental networking, system administration, computing, and information security, and it prepares students for careers in the information technology profession. Students who acquire an associate of science degree at the West O’ahu site will be able to transfer their credits to a bachelor’s degree. Along with an associate degree, students can receive certificates from the university. Students can receive an associate of science in information technology at Kapi’olani Community College. Security, network connectivity, programming fundamentals, GUI interfaces, and server platform competency are all covered in the associate degree curriculum. In order to grasp the functions of cybersecurity and networking in a corporate setting, the programme also focuses on business principles and communication strategies. Students can receive an associate of science in cybersecurity from Hawaii Pacific University. The cybersecurity degree provides students with a foundation in computer networking and security, including programming, network monitoring, information assurance, and problem-solving abilities in data security.
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
Students from all around Hawaii can now obtain degrees in information technology and computer networking thanks to the University of Hawaii’s expansion of its information technology and cybersecurity courses across various campuses. Students can receive a bachelor of science in computer science or a bachelor of arts in information and computer science at the University of Hawaii in Manoa. Students can specialise in their degree programmes with the inclusion of a security science specialisation through both the bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degree programmes. The security science concentration teaches students cryptographic protocols, basic principles of security and trust, the economic significance of security, as well as the problem-solving skills required for computer networking and software administration. Students can pursue a bachelor of applied science degree with an emphasis in information security and assurance at the University of Hawaii in West O’ahu. The programme was created in response to the numerous cyber attacks that the state has experienced, as well as the federal demand for increased cybersecurity training and education under the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Training Careers and Studies. The curriculum includes technical cybersecurity classes, and students can specialise their degree by taking courses in network security, digital forensics, cyber conflicts, and security software coding. The institution provides a bachelor of science degree in applied business and information technology at the Maui College site, allowing students to integrate business administration and information technology concepts to create a full-fledged workforce degree. Accounting, marketing, management, data science, web programming, and cybersecurity are among the courses offered.
Cybersecurity certifications in Hawaii
The University of Hawaii provides students with a wide range of certification options in addition to the degrees it offers at its many academic locations. Students can receive a certificate in telecommunication security from Hawaii Pacific University, where they can learn about security forensics and system architecture. Students can receive a certificate of achievement in information and computer science, as well as certificates of proficiency in basic programming, network support, information support, and computer science, at Leeward College. In addition, Honolulu College provides an information assurance certificate.
Cybersecurity Programs in Hawaii
Further research into the cybersecurity area in Hawaii reveals the following: According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the average hourly compensation for a cybersecurity analyst in Hawaii is $41.69, with an average yearly salary of $86,720.
Cybersecurity in Hawaii
Hawaii’s economy appears to be hampered by its reliance on imports from the United States mainland and other nations. Nonetheless, its emphasis on software development and cybersecurity has sparked interest in the technology industry among students at the state’s many colleges. While company taxes and energy expenses remain high, Hawaii residents might possibly earn important jobs in the IT industry as the state’s key industries continue to flourish.
