Bossier City — A Louisiana Tech University cybersecurity training program that combines academic coursework with industry credentials has grown from 24 participants at its 2024 launch to 60 students in the first quarter of 2026.
Louisiana Tech and the Louisiana Tech Research Institute developed the Cyber Technology Practitioner Program with ISACA to give students hands-on cybersecurity experience and industry-recognized credentials before entering the workforce.
The program incorporates faculty-guided instruction, hands-on labs, tuition support and professional mentoring into students’ academic experience. Participants also receive ISACA student memberships and access to review sessions, webinars and question-and-answer forums.
The initiative is intended to address employer demand for cybersecurity workers without requiring Louisiana Tech to create entirely new degree programs. According to ISACA’s State of Cybersecurity report cited by the university, 55% of organizations report that their cybersecurity teams are understaffed, while 70% expect demand for technical contributors to increase.
“In addition to rigorous academic coursework, the industry training and certificates from this program give students a meaningful advantage as they begin and advance their careers while helping businesses fill critical roles with skilled talent,” said Warren Ward, executive director of LTRI and director of the Cyber Technology Practitioner Program.
Students can earn ISACA foundational certificates covering artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data science, the Internet of Things, IT auditing and IT risk. They can also prepare for advanced certifications including Certified Information Systems Auditor and Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer.
Program participant Karma McCoy said the training helped her secure a cybersecurity job offer after a month of searching.
“After only a month of job searching, I received an offer to work on a company’s cybersecurity projects,” McCoy said. “The knowledge I gained helped me pass the company’s screening project, which was similar to work I had already performed within this program.”
The program is also intended to reduce the amount of training employers need to provide after hiring graduates.
“One standout student supported CMMC 2.0 compliance efforts for a federal-facing business I was involved with at the time,” said Tom Bowman, chief growth officer for Altech Solutions LLC. “Her ISACA certificate training helped her understand security obligations, documentation requirements, and why certain controls mattered in practice. She reduced research time and was able to engage with technical and policy materials that typically require post-hire training.”
Louisiana Tech and LTRI developed the program as a pathway between university cybersecurity education and jobs requiring practical technical, compliance and documentation skills.