(1) The Florida Center for Cybersecurity, which may also be referred to as “Cyber Florida,” is established within the University of South Florida, under the direction of the president of the university or the president’s designee.
(2) The mission and goals of the center are to:(a) Position Florida as the national leader in cybersecurity and its related workforce primarily through advancing and funding education and research and development initiatives in cybersecurity and related fields, with a secondary emphasis on community engagement and cybersecurity awareness.
(b) Assist in the creation of jobs in the state’s cybersecurity industry and enhance the existing cybersecurity workforce through education, research, applied science, and engagements and partnerships with the private and military sectors.
(c) Act as a cooperative facilitator for state business and higher education communities to share cybersecurity knowledge, resources, and training.
(d) Seek out research and development agreements and other partnerships with major military installations and affiliated contractors to assist, when possible, in homeland cybersecurity defense initiatives.
(e) Attract cybersecurity companies and jobs to this state, with an emphasis on the defense, finance, health care, transportation, and utility sectors.
(f) Conduct, fund, and facilitate research and applied science that leads to the creation of new technologies and software packages that have military and civilian applications and that can be transferred for military and homeland defense purposes or for sale or use in the private sector.
(3) Upon receiving a request for assistance from the Department of Management Services, the Florida Digital Service, or another state agency, the center is authorized, but may not be compelled by the agency, to conduct, consult on, or otherwise assist any state-funded initiatives related to:(a) Cybersecurity training, professional development, and education for state and local government employees, including school districts and the judicial branch; and
(b) Increasing the cybersecurity effectiveness of the state’s and local governments’ technology platforms and infrastructure, including school districts and the judicial branch.
(4) Subject to appropriation, the center shall assist in the expansion of experiential learning opportunities for students at state universities, Florida College System institutions, and private postsecondary educational institutions by:(a) Developing a Cybersecurity Experiential Learning Program. The center shall:1. Identify specific internship and experiential learning opportunities that the United States Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has identified as the most impactful on a student’s job placement in high-demand cybersecurity roles.
2. Consult with employers in this state with openings or anticipated openings in cybersecurity roles or other industries that perform work that require a security clearance.
3. Review best practices for cybersecurity experiential learning opportunities in place at other National Security Agency National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity-designated institutions within and outside of the state that can be replicated at institutions across the state, including those that NIST has identified as the most impactful on a student’s job placement in high-demand cybersecurity roles.
4. Establish the minimum qualifications that a student should possess or meet before enrolling in the Cybersecurity Experiential Learning Program.
5. Identify the state universities, Florida College System institutions, and private postsecondary educational institutions seeking to participate in the program and the projected number of students to be served at each participating institution during the fiscal year.
(b) Publishing on its website, by July 1, 2028, and on July 1 of each year thereafter, a report on the Cybersecurity Experiential Program that contains, by institution, the number of students participating in the program, the number of program completers, the passage rate of any certification examinations, the placement rate of program completers in cybersecurity positions, and recommendations for program improvements, including potential integration with other state workforce initiatives.
