Within the past few years, Manitoba has experienced a few cyber breaches that have unsettled the province, including one at the University of Winnipeg in 2024.
As society incorporates technology into its structure more and more, cybersecurity is one area that many consider essential.
In the fall, Morden will be home to an education that offers a path to solving cybersecurity issues and many more with its Network and Systems Administrator (NSA) program.
The new opportunity in the Pembina Valley has been developed in partnership with the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) based in Winnipeg.
What does the program consist of?
For Jared Miskimmin, a program manager with MITT, the institution’s main motivation for the partnership is to “expand reach outside of Winnipeg” by offering a variety of IT skills.
“The program ... includes network design and management, server administration both on premises and on cloud and as well as ... some cyber security analytics,” he says.
In simple terms, those who go through the program will come out knowledgeable about how to “fix internet issues,” according to Miskimmin.
“If your wireless goes down, your computer's not working, you get the blue screen of death and you're asked to do a control-alt-delete — these are the people that are going to be able to walk you through fixing your infrastructure and helping you through those issues,” he says.
Miskimmin says the program also prioritizes “soft skills," which include interpersonal management and customer relations.
The importance of IT
For Miskimmin, the program also has value because of the importance of its components in the world today.
“The big takeaway for MIT here and for the city of Morden and its surrounding area is that the students won't have to drive into Winnipeg. They'll be able to stay right here in their community and get that same training and hands-on experience that the students in Winnipeg do.”
-Jared Miskimmin on the new NSA program in Morden.
“I don't think I need to undersell the importance of IT and the network systems administrator program,” he says.
“Recently, we've seen that the University of Winnipeg and other institutions and organizations within Manitoba have had some cyber breaches, and so this programming and students that have these types of skills are even more important these days with the new cyber threats that we’re seeing.”
In person in Morden
In addition to offering a program in a field in which Miskimmin says there is a great deal of significance and open positions, another added benefit is that it will take place in person in Morden.
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“The site is currently undergoing renovations and will be ready for fall,” says Miskimmin.
“The big takeaway for MITT here and for the city of Morden and its surrounding area is that the students won't have to drive into Winnipeg. They'll be able to stay right here in their community and get that same training and hands-on experience that the students in Winnipeg do.”
Changes every 30 to 40 days
Morden’s partnership with MITT will also allow students to be at the cutting edge of information technology.
“The information technology field is changing. Every 30 to 40 days, we're seeing a new industry trend. We're seeing new emerging technology, so getting into this program really positions you at the forefront of emerging technology,” says Miskimmin.
“We'll position you to be job-ready as soon as you graduate from the program.”
An information session
Miskimmin says that people who “love to solve complex problems, love to troubleshoot, and like to be at the forefront of new technology” will be a good fit for the 2-year course.
Anyone interested in Network and Systems Administration in Morden is invited to an information session on Thursday, May 22nd at 7 p.m. at Morden Collegiate Institute.
Everyone is welcome.
“You're going to get an opportunity to meet with the instructor to talk to them about what the program is all about,” says Miskimmin.
“We're going to highlight that there is a 15-week practicum that's a key component of the program that allows the students the opportunity to put the theoretical knowledge that they learn in the classroom into real-world settings with local businesses and organizations within Morden, Winkler, and the surrounding area.”
Miskimmin says that any businesses interested in participating in the program as a placement site are also welcome to attend the information session.
Emails can also be sent to jared.miskimmin@mitt.ca.
With files from Ty Hildebrand