UNLV is partnering with global cybersecurity education leader HackerU to launch a part-time Cybersecurity Bootcamp. The 400-hour non-credit training program will play an active role in closing the region’s digital skills gap and provide an accelerated path for people seeking a new career in the tech industry. 

"At UNLV Continuing Education, our goal is to offer innovative credit and non-credit educational programs for individuals looking for training to assist them in expanding their careers or pursuing new career opportunities,” said Joseph M. Miera, UNLV vice provost for educational outreach. "To meet these needs, we partnered with HackerU to bring relevant training to the Las Vegas community and surrounding areas in high-demand digital fields. This is an exciting opportunity for people in our community to get trained and become qualified professionals in leading-edge careers."

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercrime has surged to new heights, with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reporting a 300% increase in daily complaints. This partnership will help tackle the influx of malicious activity head-on by providing the Nevada workforce with an abundance of skilled cyber professionals to fill its nearly 2,708 cybersecurity job openings. 

“Cyberattacks are one of the fastest-growing crimes in the U.S. and are becoming increasingly costly to organizations that aren’t adequately prepared to defend themselves,” said Ayal Stern, CEO of HackerUSA. “This program will play a pivotal role in developing skilled cybersecurity professionals that will go on to protect Nevada’s most critical assets for years to come.”  

Pushing past the norms of traditional educational bootcamps, the UNLV Cybersecurity Bootcamp provides students of all backgrounds, learning styles, and skill levels with equitable access to learning environments taught by industry experts. Enrolled students benefit from immersive lectures, hands-on exercises, virtual cyber labs, and real-world simulations on important topics such as cyberinfrastructure and technologies, ethical hacking, threat hunting, data loss prevention, and more. The program curriculum is continuously updated to reflect current practices and prepares learners for globally recognized cyber certification exams, ensuring they are ready to excel in the workforce upon graduation. 

The UNLV Cybersecurity Bootcamp also provides learners with a personalized support system, including a network of hiring partners, dedicated student success managers, and one-on-one career prep services, such as resume writing, LinkedIn profile building, interview coaching, and job placement assistance. 

"With the current push for individuals to work remotely, we recognize the expanded opportunities for individuals from Las Vegas,” said Heidi Erpelding-Welch, Director of Program Development at UNLV. “Many people and companies at the national and even global level are looking at new employment arrangements. The low cost of living, coupled with a workforce that is motivated to reskill and find new, meaningful work, makes Las Vegas a prime location for these programs." 

Enrollment is currently live, and the latest cohort began on Jan. 25. For more information, visit the UNLV Cybersecurity Bootcamp website.

About UNLV Division of Educational Outreach

The Division of Educational Outreach at UNLV is committed to creating an environment that promotes quality instruction, professional development, stimulating research, and community engagement. The courses and programs that we offer are developed with excellence in mind. The Continuing Education unit designs and delivers high quality non-credit programs, courses, workshops and seminars to both professional and casual learners. The Division's programs support UNLV's mission and core themes. UNLV DEO is located on the Paradise campus of UNLV. Learn more at edoutreach.unlv.edu

About HackerU

The accelerated programs powered by HackerU help reskill and upskill students in today’s fast-growing digital economy. With over a decade of experience as one of the world's premier digital skills and cybersecurity education providers, HackerU works with top-tier academic institutions, government organizations, and global enterprises to offer advanced workforce and professional development programs, transforming global learners into the digital careers of tomorrow.