Today, Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt toured Fayetteville Technical Community College’s (FTCC) nationally recognized cybersecurity program as a part of her Jobs of the Future initiative.
In addition to housing its own cybersecurity program, FTCC is a co-founder of the Carolina Cyber Network (CCN). Carolina Cyber Network connects colleges, universities, employers, government, and community partners to help students build skills, gain real experience, and move into cybersecurity careers.
“When people across North Carolina talk about how to build a cybersecurity workforce, the model for it started right here. Five years ago, Fayetteville Tech and Montreat College set out to build a real path from the classroom to a cyber career,” said Lt. Governor Hunt. “If we want to prepare our students for the Jobs of the Future, this is how we do it.
Lt. Governor Hunt watched a simulated cyberattack in FTCC’s IT/OT Lab, talked with a student panel about their experience in the program and the cybersecurity workforce, and engaged with students in a perimeter defense class.
“North Carolina can’t just be investing in the industries it already has; it needs to be preparing for the Jobs of the future.” said FTCC President Dr. Mark Sorrells. “As a co-founder of the Carolina Cyber Network, a national cybersecurity workforce ecosystem model, we’re strengthening the pipeline of skilled cyber professionals and assisting with hardening the security posture of our state and nation.”
In 2025, FTCC was recognized as a Top 25 cybersecurity program in the nation. The Cybersecurity Guide’s Top 25 designees were evaluated based on academic quality, student-to-faculty ratios, graduation and retention rates, admission selectivity and in-state tuition affordability.
Additionally, the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Fayetteville Technical Community College as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) through academic year 2028.
About Jobs of the Future
The future is not just about attracting new industries. It is also about helping North Carolina’s strongest industries grow. That means preparing for growth in AgTech, cybersecurity, aerospace, and defense. As a product of rural North Carolina, Lieutenant Governor Hunt knows how important it is to invest in these communities. They face unique challenges, but they also provide tremendous opportunities for people to lead fulfilling lives. Making sure we support rural North Carolina and our agriculture sector is critical for our state to thrive. Through the Jobs of the Future initiative, Lt. Governor Hunt will highlight workforce development programs across the state that are helping North Carolina’s strongest industries evolve.
Read more about Jobs of the Future here.
Read Governor Stein’s Cybersecurity month proclamation here.