A partnership between the local Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Valencia Community College (VCC) and the Department of Homeland Security has formed to provide TSA employees with college level classes about homeland security. The TSA Associates Program premiered last August with 48 students and continued to expand in the spring with 24 new students. The program runs concurrently with the traditional Valencia schedule, but the classes are offered conveniently on airport property.
Currently, 90 percent of the TSA workforce does not have a college degree. The long-term goal for the program is to offer a degree in homeland security, but the next step in the process will likely be a certificate of specialization available to TSA employees and air marshals who complete the required courses. There are many long-term benefits for TSA employees with college experience, including increasing their competiveness for promotions.
For more, read Securing the Homeland from Texture Magazine.
