Teams of teenagers from Northern California will be competing for the first time in the California Mayors Cyber Cup, a statewide cybersecurity competition, on Feb. 23 and the public is invited.
High school and middle school students will tackle live cybersecurity challenges virtually starting at 8 am in room 1170 in MacMillan Hall at the Mendocino College Ukiah campus. An awards luncheon will take place in room 4210 of the Library building following the challenge. Parents, educators, businesses, local government and the community are encouraged to attend starting at noon and can register at http://cmcc-mendocino.eventbrite.com/. Admission is free.
A local business panel of IT experts will discuss the growing importance of cybersecurity and career pathways in the field, and awards will be presented to the winning teams. Medals will go to the top three teams in the region, with the winners advancing later to a statewide round of competitions. Will Caput, Senior Security Engineer at Build.com, will deliver the keynote address. This part of the event will take place at Butte College and will be broadcast live on a large monitor at Mendocino College.
The U.S. is experiencing a shortage of cybersecurity workers, with over 36,000 jobs currently open in California alone, according to Cyberseek.org. Many of those jobs require certifications rather than four-year degrees, and entry level positions often pay well above average salaries.
The California Mayors Cyber Cup is a set of simultaneous regional competitions across the state. Students compete on behalf of their city, and the coveted perpetual trophy cup is presented to the mayor and city council of the winning team. The Far North is one of 12 regions represented in the 2019 challenge.
Teams from Chico, Oroville, Anderson and Westwood are competing at Butte College, and teams from Ukiah and Laytonville will compete at Mendocino College, the satellite location. The Far North region encompasses the 13 northernmost counties in the state, down through Mendocino, Lake, Butte, and Plumas counties.
For more information, contact Wendy Porter, Deputy Sector navigator, California Community College Far North Region: (530) 518-5095. The Mendocino College Ukiah campus is located at 1000 Hensley Creek Rd. Ukiah, CA 95482. www.mendocino.edu