A new series of stories from MxD scans the landscape of technologies and trends fueling manufacturing’s ongoing digital transformation: What’s here? What’s coming? And what’s the impact, including on the workforce? This article details the launch this month of two new MxD Learn cybersecurity for manufacturing courses on MxD’s Virtual Training Center (VTC).
The asynchronous Cybersecurity for Manufacturing Operational Technology, or CyMOT, courses are in partnership with the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and are: Cybersecurity Manufacturing AI/ML Engineer and Advanced Cybersecurity Manufacturing Analyst. Enrollment is free on the VTC until the end of September.
“These are two roles that we have identified, through extensive research and work with industry leaders, as essential for the future of manufacturing,” said Lauren Lerman, MxD Learn’s Director of Workforce Collaborations.
Here’s additional information on the rollout of these CyMOT courses:
What type of training is MxD offering?
The online Cybersecurity Manufacturing AI/ML Engineer and Advanced Cybersecurity Manufacturing Analyst courses are taught by UMBC staff, with certificates awarded upon completion. Each program is in three sections and will take about 40-60 hours in total, though there is no deadline for completion and students can take one or all sections.
“You have plenty of time to finish the course whenever you’re ready,” Lerman said, adding that students who enroll by Sept. 30 are guaranteed free course access for however long coursework takes.
The artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) engineer program consists of courses on:
- “Introduction to Data Science,” which provides data science basics with a digital manufacturing focus.
- “Introduction to Machine Learning.”
- “Cyber in ML and ML for Cyber,” which is a look at how ML is applied to cybersecurity problems.
The advanced cyber analyst program features courses on:
- “Cybersecurity Fundamentals,” an overview of core information assurance and cybersecurity concepts.
- “Penetration Testing,” which delivers hands-on exposure to the processes, tools, and procedures used by penetration testers.
- “Advanced Penetration Testing,” which takes a deep dive into understanding a range of vulnerabilities and cybersecurity risks including for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and operational technology (OT).
Why now?
“With the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 framework likely to be finalized by early next year, the expectation is there will be new requirements that manufacturers in the defense industrial base (DIB) must abide by,” Lerman said.
Workers, she added, will suddenly need the skills to help meet these requirements, and “starting with the introductory sections to each course alone can do so much to ensure staff has the expertise to implement these cybersecurity posture requirements.“
Who needs the training?
While the courses are targeted for DIB manufacturers and their workers, they are beneficial for all manufacturers, Lerman said.
“And in these courses we’re not just talking about cybersecurity,” she said. “We’re also talking about how to leverage the AI and ML technology that has so far been inaccessible to many small and mid-size manufacturers (SMMs).”
Additional information?
“A lot of SMMs know that they need to improve their cybersecurity posture, but don’t always have the resources to train their staff,” Lerman said. “By offering these courses for free, we’re hoping to fill that need.”
Also, she noted, “people shouldn’t feel intimidated, thinking for example that ‘AI/ML engineer is too advanced for me.’”
“Just hop in and enroll,” Lerman said. “If you enroll in September, it will continue to be free, and if it doesn’t work out, you’ve lost nothing.”
Other headlines?
The Manufacturing Leadership Council honored CyMOT (which is taught in-person at UMBC) as a 2024 Manufacturing Leadership Awards finalist in the Collaborative Ecosystems category.
Get more info: Sign up for the free online CyMOT courses here.