BLOOMFIELD – Indiana Governor Mike Braun, Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner, and other education and workforce leaders visited Bloomfield Middle and High School today — a small, rural school at the center of Indiana’s first-in-the-nation cybersecurity pathway.
During the visit, students showcased their cybersecurity skills, leading live demonstrations that highlighted the career‑connected learning preparing them for high-demand cybersecurity careers.
“Indiana has thousands of open cybersecurity roles, and each one is a career a Hoosier student can train for and fill right here at home,” said Gov. Braun. “Everything that makes Indiana’s economy run – our manufacturers, hospitals, farms, schools, and local governments – depends on networks that must be protected. Strengthening our homegrown cybersecurity workforce is essential to keeping these systems safe, making this both a workforce solution and a security solution.”
The interactive event moved visitors into classrooms, where students demonstrated what they had learned in their Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Cybersecurity and AP Cybersecurity classes. Educators explained how their cybersecurity coursework connects to college credit, practical experience, high-demand careers, and military service.
“In Indiana, we believe that high school should prepare every student for success, regardless of whether their dreams include enrollment, employment, or enlistment and service,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “This pathway opens the door to all three: college, careers, and military service. Students in this pathway have the opportunity to earn college credit toward enrollment, industry-recognized credentials and work-based learning toward employment, and a direct connection to the Indiana National Guard for enlistment and service.”
With the launch of the Indiana Cybersecurity Partnership in May 2026, Indiana became the first state in the nation to build a strategic, military‑aligned cybersecurity pathway connecting high schools, two‑ and four‑year institutions, the National Guard, and employers, positioning Indiana as a national leader in cybersecurity education.
“Indiana’s critical infrastructure is constantly under attack from nation-state cyber threats,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Myers, Director of Cybersecurity, Indiana National Guard. “Encouraging cybersecurity education and increasing capacity in the state’s cyber workforce will quite literally save Hoosier lives.”
During the event, educators highlighted how schools could build the pathway through AP, PLTW, dual credit, or a combination — in the sequence that fits their staffing, schedules, and students.
“Our country needs a new generation of cybersecurity talent, and students want learning that gives them a sense of purpose and a clear path to college, a career, or service,” said College Board President Jeremy Singer.
The initiative also responds to an urgent workforce need in Indiana, with roughly 20,000 open cybersecurity roles across fields, including education, healthcare, business, government, and national security.
“The cybersecurity workforce shortage is a defining challenge of our time, and Indiana is rising to meet it,” said David Dimmett, President and CEO of PLTW. “Hands-on cybersecurity education builds a direct bridge from the classroom to high-demand careers. Indiana is establishing the national blueprint for aligning education and policy to power the next-generation workforce.”
Over the next three years, this partnership aims to expand cybersecurity education from approximately 69 public high schools serving about 560 students to 200 high schools serving approximately 4,000 students. Over this same period, Indiana aims to expand the number of students who enroll in cybersecurity degree programs, pursue a cybersecurity specialty in the National Guard, and secure cybersecurity jobs with Indiana businesses.
“Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue – it’s a business imperative that affects every employer, employee, and customer,” said Vanessa Green Sinders, Indiana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO. “The Indiana Cybersecurity Partnership is important because it brings together the right leaders and resources to help organizations strengthen their defenses, manage risk, and keep Indiana’s economy moving forward.”
To learn more about Indiana’s cybersecurity pathways, click here.
