TAMPA, Fla. — Cybersecurity and AI are rapidly growing industries, but there are not enough qualified people to fill positions.
The University of South Florida wants to grow the workforce and put Tampa Bay on the map as a hub for technology and defense with a newly created college.
"I think everybody knows that there's a huge demand right now for everything related to AI," said Dr. Yael Bensoussan. "The researchers need AI experts. The industry needs AI experts. There's a huge need everywhere right now."
Dr. Bensoussan is the Director of the USF Health Voice Center, an academic center that treats people with voice, airway and swallowing disorders. They use AI technology to analyze voices to help diagnose disease.
"In medicine, you can't just be a doctor anymore. You have to be able to embrace technology, and to understand how it's going to support you in your everyday life," she said.
According to the non-profit ISC2, which focuses on training and certifying people in cybersecurity, around 44% of organizations said they can't find people with the skills needed to do the job.
ISC2 estimates the size of the global security workforce in 2023 was around 5.5 million but said the industry needs to almost double its number of qualified workers to be at full capacity and meet demand. As of last year, about four million cybersecurity professionals were needed worldwide.
That's why USF decided to launch a new college that is focused on filling that gap. Plus, the university already has more than 200 faculty members working in these areas.
"We realize there's enough intellectual capital and expertise on our campuses in these areas, and this will create an umbrella to bring them all together to work for the common goal of addressing those needs," said Provost Prasant Mohapatra, USF's Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Provost Mohapatra said the feedback on the new college has been outstanding. The university's target is to have around 5,000 students to start but Mohapatra expects that number to grow significantly.
"I think the students have been asking for this for a very long time," said Dr. Bensoussan. "The last two years, I think we're seeing a lot of students applying as soon as there is a certificate or a program in AI."
"This new college will be the first of its kind in the state of Florida. One among the very few that are being proposed and developed around the nation," said Mohapatra. "The University of South Florida will be one of the primary hubs in AI and cybersecurity going forward."
The college will launch in the fall of 2025.
For more information on the college, click here.
