Certificate Program
AI and Data Science for Cybersecurity Certificate Program
(Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (23A60WO000021-01-00)
The certificate program is designed to support participants from seven counties - Copiah, Hinds, Holmes, Madison, Rankin, Simpson, and Yazoo - to obtain skills that align with industry needs. Through this certificate program, JSU will partner with employers to provide internships and job opportunities to successful program participants.
Participant Eligibility Criteria:
To ensure alignment with Department of Labor requirements and to effectively serve the
target populations in the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), eligible
participants for this program must meet the following criteria:
General Eligibility:
- Residency - Must reside in one of the seven counties in the Jackson, Mississippi MSA:
Copiah, Hinds, Holmes, Madison, Rankin, Simpson, or Yazoo. - Age - Must be at least 17 years of age at the time of enrollment.
- Work Authorization - Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
- Education - Must have a high school diploma, GED, or be willing to complete a GED prior to enrollment (with support from JSU and partner organizations if needed).
Targeted Priority Populations:
Preference will be given to individuals who fall into one or more of the following categories:
- New Entrants to the Workforce, especially high school seniors preparing to graduate, recent high school graduates not yet enrolled in postsecondary education;
- Incumbent Workers - currently employed individuals seeking to retrain or upskill into a higher-wage career pathway in cybersecurity, data science, or AI.
Technical Requirements:
JSU will provide access to university labs for participants with limited access to technology.
Commitment:
- Must commit to completing the full certificate program (Cybersecurity and Data Science
for AI), which spans approximately 32 weeks. - Must participate in all required program assessments, including post-training follow-up
surveys at 6 and 12 months.
