International Society of Automation and UA Team to offer cybersecurity courses
The International Society of Automation (ISA), a globally recognized authority for industrial automation training since 1945, and The University of Akron, an influential public research university in the region, have entered into a workforce training agreement to offer the ISA IEC62443 Cybersecurity Training and Certificate program in Akron.
Through this arrangement, UA will now host ISA courses, taught by subject matter experts, on the University’s campus. This ISA Open Enrollment Center will complement UA’s curriculum for workforce development of industrial cybersecurity professionals. Associates in both information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) should attend these classes for information on how to assess risk, and design and implement cybersecurity plans to protect vital automation control systems based on ISA IEC62443 Cybersecurity Standards.
Meeting industry's workforce needs
“Our mission in education is clear — answer the workforce needs of industry,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, dean of UA’s College of Applied Science and Technology. “With an investment from private donors, we have created an Industrial Control Systems Testbed for industry use in maintaining their systems and exploring new ways to protect them. The ISA site use agreement is a perfect complement to this critical need.”
“ISA is pleased to add an open enrollment location in Akron for cybersecurity short courses,” said Mary Ramsey, executive director of ISA. “The state of Ohio has shown its commitment to IT and OT cybersecurity training and education through its new Cyber Range co-hosted at The University of Akron and the University of Cincinnati, as well as UA’s control systems testbed for industry use. These actions complement our vision to create a better world through automation, and we are pleased to build this relationship to serve the need for cybersecurity workforce development in Akron.”
Ohio universities are working together to offer comprehensive education on the rapidly changing world of cybertechnology. The ISA curriculum will enhance these offerings and will help fulfill the regional need for workforce development opportunities for OT cyber professionals.
About ISA
The International Society of Automation (isa.org) is a non-profit professional association founded in 1945 to create a better world through automation. ISA advances technical competence by connecting the automation community to achieve operational excellence. The organization develops widely-used global standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; hosts conferences and exhibits; and provides networking and career development programs for its 40,000 members and 400,000 customers around the world.
ISA created the ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance to advance cybersecurity readiness and awareness in manufacturing and critical infrastructure facilities and processes. The alliance brings end-user companies, automation and control systems providers, IT infrastructure providers, services providers, and system integrators and other cybersecurity stakeholder organizations together to proactively address growing threats.
ISA owns Automation.com, a leading online publisher of automation-related content, and is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation, an association of nonprofit organizations serving as “The Voice of Automation.” Through a wholly owned subsidiary, ISA bridges the gap between standards and their implementation with the ISA Security Compliance Institute (isasecure.org) and the ISA Wireless Compliance Institute.
Media contacts: ISA — Jennifer Halsey, jhalsey@isa.org, or The University of Akron — Alex Knisely, aknisely@uakron.edu.