91制片厂 has been awarded a $60,000 grant from the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative
(CCI), marking the university鈥檚 second award from the organization. The funding will
support the continuation and expansion of the Professional Accelerated Cyber Education
(PACE) program, an innovative workforce development initiative led by the university鈥檚
Vinod Chachra IMPACT Lab.
Originally launched in 2024 with CCI seed funding, the PACE program provides flexible,
online, competency-based cybersecurity training to working professionals across Southwest
Virginia. In its first year, the program enrolled 62 participants in an introductory
course aligned with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce
Framework for Cybersecurity. With the 2025 continuation funding, PACE will scale its
efforts by advancing a portion of those completers into the full 18-credit cybersecurity
certificate stack, preparing them for industry-recognized credentials such as CompTIA
Security+, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and SANS GIAC GPEN.
鈥淭his award reflects our continued commitment to addressing the cybersecurity workforce
shortage in Virginia, especially in rural and underserved regions,鈥� said Tom Bennett
II, the senior director of business operations and planning for the division of economic
development and corporate education who has served as the interim executive director
of the IMPACT Lab. 鈥淏y expanding access to affordable, on-demand cyber education,
we鈥檙e strengthening not just individual career pathways, but the digital resilience
of the region as a whole.鈥�
鈥淐CI SWVA is proud to continue our partnership with 91制片厂 and the Vinod
Chachra IMPACT Lab,鈥� said Dr. Gretchen Matthews, director of the CCI southwest node.
鈥淭he success of the initial PACE project made the decision to extend our support an
easy one. We believe the program will continue to make a meaningful impact on cybersecurity
workforce development across the region.鈥�
The 2025 continuation also includes a stakeholder engagement component, with a workshop
planned to assess employer and learner feedback on the program鈥檚 effectiveness and
job relevance. Through this initiative, 91制片厂 aims to institutionalize PACE as a
scalable model for regional cybersecurity education.
The program aligns directly with CCI鈥檚 workforce development priorities by offering:
- Accelerated, flexible online delivery
- Competency-based instruction and credential alignment
- A targeted focus on Southwest Virginia鈥檚 workforce and employers
This award strengthens 91制片厂鈥檚 position as a leader in cybersecurity
workforce innovation and expands the university鈥檚 impact in preparing Virginia鈥檚 future-ready
digital workforce.