Technology

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • JUNE 14, 2021

SCSU TO OFFER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THIS SUMMER TO HELP PROTECT CYBERSECURITY OF DEFENSE DEPT’S SUPPLY CHAIN NEW HAVEN — Southern Connecticut State University is joining the nationwide effort to help the U.S. Department of Defense bolster cybersecurity in its supply chain amid concerns over the recent hack into federal agencies — including American nuclear weapons agencies.

Software produced by Solar Winds, a Texas-based company that has contracts with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies such as the Defense Department, was reported late last year to have been breached by Russian hackers. It enabled the perpetrators to “see

into” the networks of clients of Solar Winds.

Southern’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies has partnered with Data Intelligence Technologies of Virginia to launch a certification program in June that will help defense contractors and subcontractors protect sensitive information.

“Security breaches occur every day, but not at the magnitude of the Solar Winds incident,” said Lisa Lancor, chair of the SCSU Computer Science Department. “It underscores the need to build

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a strong, cybersecurity workforce.”

Last year, the U.S. Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment introduced the Cyber Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), a new standard for suppliers to operate within the Defense Department’s acquisition and procurement process. All companies that provide supplies for the department’s operations — such as defense contractors — will need to be certified. The requirements are being phased in by Oct. 1, 2025.

Contractors have been able to merely

attest they were in compliance with safety standards by conducting self-assessments. But under the new system, third-party trained professionals will assess whether those standards are being met. Southern will help Data Intelligence Technologies teach those who seek to become certified assessors and professionals.

“The Defense Department has perhaps the largest global supply chain, which means it deals with a wide array of organizations,” Lancor said. “These organizations are constantly under hacker attacks. In fact, the malicious cyber activity cost to the U.S. economy in 2016 was estimated at more than $100 billion.”

She said cybersecurity is an increasingly lucrative field, and this certification program should prove valuable to those pursuing a career in cybersecurity.

“Currently, there are no CMMC-certified assessors who can do the assessment of companies that have defense contracts, such as Sikorsky Aircraft and Pratt & Whitney,” Lancor said. “This opens up a huge market for anyone who wants to get into CMMC as a career, helping to secure organizations from external hackers. The CCP certificate is also of interest to companies that have contracts, or sub-contracts with the Defense Department so they can better prepare for their CMMC assessments.”

Lancor said a person would need to become a CCP, before moving on to CCA levels. CCPs and CCAs must be trained by a CMMC-approved Licensed Training Provider (such as Data Intelligence Technologies), and CMMC-AB Certified Instructors, and then tested by the CMMC Accreditation Body. When an individual passes that test, they become certified.

In preparation for the program launch in late Summer 2021, SCSU currently offers an online foundational course, “Certified Professionals Essentials,” designed to provide an opportunity to get a head start on CCP certification, with an instructor-assisted, five-week online introduction and comprehensive overview of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program.

For further information, go to: www.southernct.edu/cmmc

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JUNE 14, 2021 TECHNOLOGY S3

The Importance of Training Employees

By Allison Madison, President, Madison Approach Staffing, Inc.

T

he workplace changed drastically this past year with rapid technology advances and flexible hybrid staffing models implemented to protect employees while maintaining efficient operations. Employers are still scrambling to craft new procedures and policies to keep pace, but what’s become increasingly evident is the need for employers and employees to get in sync regarding specific skills, knowledge and workplace values. Investing in regular, relevant training for employees is the only way to keep your workforce operating at a high level and to stay competitive in the marketplace.

Employers may balk at the cost of training and feel that they can’t afford it. They look at the time to create the training plan, hire a facilitator and materials, rent a classroom and the lost productivity while still paying wages.

But we ask “can you afford not to?”

It’s an important investment for the following reasons:

1) It improves consistency of skills and knowledge: It’s a big time and money waste

for employees to work in silos, possibly doing things wrong that need to be fixed later at the company’s expense. Training everyone on desired processes eliminates guesswork, creates consistency and positively affects productivity, resulting in an increase of profits and customer retention. Nothing will slow the gears down more than questions and confusion.

Putting procedures in writing and then training staff will streamline your organization.

2) It satisfies the recommendations of performance appraisals. When an organiza-

tion’s employee review suggests the need for improvement on a particular subject or skill, organized training programs will satisfy this requirement. It can be deflating for an employee to get a negative review and have no path to learn and improve.

3) It prepares employees for higher responsibilities. Training programs prepare employees to move into higher roles and take on more responsibility in an organization, along with the skills required to function effectively in their new positions. For example, they may be trained in leadership skills, management techniques or specific software.

Training creates a motivated leadership pipeline.

4) It shows employees they are valued.

Implementing training programs help employees feel like the company is invested in them. By continuing to teach your employees new skills and abilities, they will not just become productive workers, they will feel like valued members of the organization, which will improve morale and confidence. If your workplace employs non-English speakers, ESL classes will go a long way to creating a

S4 TECHNOLOGY JUNE 14, 2021

Allison Madison

career pathway for low-wage workers and fosters a self-improvement culture.

5) Training improves retention and recruitment. Employee turnover is expensive con-

sidering the average cost of replacing an employee can range from one half to two times an annual salary. Additionally, recent polls show that job seekers seek out companies that offer training and that career development opportunities are a deciding factor when applying for a job.

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6) Training improves IT and computer skills. Just about every workplace requires

some level of computer literacy to function and its no longer acceptable to pass off computer tasks to co-workers “who know computers.” IT training is a must to give employees the knowledge of contemporary technology tools like phone systems, Zoom, WebEx, Outlook, Google drive and how they work together in an office environment. Training is also needed to instruct employees on specific software systems and best practices. The abrupt transition to remote working online due to Covid caused many people to leave the workforce early because they were uncomfortable with technology.

7) Communications Skills and Diversity Training. Being able to communicate, get

along and resolve conflicts in a healthy, respectful way should not be left to chance. Soft skills need to be taught or an organization can quickly become dysfunctional and combative resulting in lost productivity or even lawsuits.

So to recap: while there are many categories of training and development to consider — management, sales, computer/technlogy, communications, policy and procedures, customer service, job skills, English language, communication skills, diversity — it’s important to assess your workforce, industry competitors and trends to create a productive training plan that fits your needs.

The many benefits outweigh the cost and we highly recommend making the investment to keep your organization humming along as we break out of our Covid cocoon.

Lead on!

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