CECOM ASIC is building the next-generation cyber and IT workforce

JOPPATOWNE, Md. — Joppatowne High School hosted community leaders, educators, and families on October 8, 2026 for an event highlighting a program design… JOPPATOWNE, Md. — Joppatowne High School hosted community leaders, educators, and families on October 8, 2026 for an event highlighting a program designed to help students prepare for careers in cybersecurity and information technology within the defense community. The program is currently in its 7th-year cohort. This information session was for the next cohort of the 2026-2027 school year, the program's 8th cohort. The P-TECH and JROTC Open House showcased the opportunity for local 8th graders to enter a direct pipeline from high school into high-demand national security careers. It is a unique partnership between Harford County Public Schools, Harford Community College, and the U.S.

Army Communications-Electronics Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Garrett Shoemaker, executive director of the CECOM Army Software & Innovation Center, spoke to prospective students and parents about the need to invest directly in homegrown talent. "We are the U.S. Army's resource to repair systems, update software, and provide the necessary parts for everything a Soldier uses to communicate," Shoemaker said. "It is our job to make sure our Soldiers have what they need and that it works when they need it. Through P-TECH, we want to strengthen the pipeline of IT and Cyber