Hawaii Immersive Workforce Project

Hawaii Immersive Workforce (HIW) Project

NSA Workforce Development Award in Cybersecurity – 2024-2026

UH Maui College landed a partnership agreement with the University of New Haven (UNH) to develop a sustainable, skills-based, competency-focused workforce development program to educate and train existing and future workforce in four critical infrastructure sectors – energy, government facilities, finance, and telecommunication.  UNH has awarded Maui College $500,000, funded by the US National Security Administration, to cover Hawaiʻi’s at-large region, complementing the Good Jobs Hawaiʻi initiative to create introductory and immersive cybersecurity certificates for state and local employees, small businesses, and nonprofits.

Read the press release from UH News here! This project is no longer accepting new applicants.

Participants obtain a Certificate of Competence (CO) from UH Maui College upon completion of the following courses:

  1. July- August 2025 Summer Session II – ICS 101 Digital Tools for the Information World (3 credits) – Completed!
  2. Fall Semester 2025 – ICS 169 Introduction to Information Security (3 credits) – mapped to Google Cybersecurity certification
  3. Spring Semester 2026 – ICS 184 Introduction to Networking (3 credits) – mapped to CompTIA Network+ certification
  4. Fall Semester 2026 – ICS 171 Introduction to Computer Security (3 credits) – mapped to CompTIA Security+ certification

Recent Events

Tuesday, September 9 – Chamber of Commerce Hawaii
Otter AI Meeting notes link.

  • Employer Spotlight #1: Kapu Solutions – Jon Narvaes (LinkedIn). Presentation (PDF)
  • Employer Spotlight #2: Ikaika Global Strategic Solutions – Sonny Rosales (LinkedIn) Presentation (PDF)
  • Bootcamp Series Introduction & Q&A: Chamber of Commerce Hawaii – McKenna Dale (LinkedIn). Employment Bootcamp Flyer (PDF).


Monday, July 21st – Project kick-off meeting
Meeting Video – Zoom Recording link.
Otter.AI meeting notes link.

  • Introduction to the Workforce Project and Good Jobs Hawaii – Debasis Bhattacharya, Professor, UHMC (LinkedIn), Nicolette Van Der Lee, and Lindsay Haralu
  • Cybersecurity & IT Career Pathways in Hawaiʻi – Amberlene Thompson, Pacxa (LinkedIn) Presentation (PDF)
  • HI Air National Guard – Major Aris Banang, Director of Ops, 292nd (LinkedIn) and TSgt Oshiro, Combat Comm Squadron, HIANG  Presentation (PDF) and Pamphlet (PDF)

Project Benefits

  • All courses in this program are online and available to distance students via Zoom.
  • Live Zoom lectures require mandatory attendance. Live online classes will be held once a week at 430PM HST.
  • Reskill & upskill online at no cost to you. Scholarships are available for participants.
  • Upon completion, earn a certificate, badge, and/or credit towards a degree.
  • Prepare to sit for industry certifications, e.g., CompTIA Network+ and Security+.
  • Grow with faculty and industry experts in AI and cybersecurity.

For more information, please get in touch with PI Dr. Debasis Bhattacharya at debasisb at hawaii dot edu or Project Coordinator Dr. Nathan Withers at njwither at hawaii dot edu.