Langevin visits mark Cyber Challenge

WARWICK – U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I., visited three high schools in Cranston, Warwick and West Greenwich on Dec. 20 to highlight the High School Cyber Challenge and congratulate the students that participated in the pilot program.
The challenge, a computerized competition to be launched in Rhode Island, California and Maryland in February, is designed to test the computer-network skills of students and introduce them to the information-technology field.
The program tests skills such as computer internals and systems administration, safe website development, and Java and C programming, Langevin’s office said in a news release.
“As the field of securing our cyber networks continues to grow and becomes a greater component of our national and economic security strategies, we must develop a competent work force that can support it,” said Langevin, co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus. “By partnering with others in the cyber community we hope this challenge will grow into a national model for harnessing our young cyber talent.”
The news release also cited Jim Gosler, first director of the Clandestine Information Technology Office at the Central Intelligence Agency, as saying that “the U.S. has no more than 1,000 people with the advanced security skills to compete in cyberspace at world-class levels – we need 20,000 to 30,000.”
Langevin visited the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center, Cranston Area Career and Technical Center, and the Exeter-West Greenwich High School.