Partner and Member-Hosted Events

Are you ready to strengthen employer partnerships and help shape the future of education and the workforce? BILT Academy Cohort 6 is now accepting applications—and we’re looking for forward-thinking educators and workforce professionals like you.

Through PTI’s flagship initiative, the BILT Academy, participants learn how to co-lead with employers, tap into employer insights to drive program relevance, and shape curriculum that directly addresses evolving industry needs—ensuring students are workforce ready. Learn how to turn advisory boards into action-oriented partners who help shape talent pipelines. Applications are due April 14

**Applications accepted on a rolling basis**

The US has a cybersecurity workforce shortage of nearly 700,000 trained professionals, yet only 3% of US students attain a credential in computer and information sciences and far fewer specialize in cybersecurity. ​The Last Mile Education Fund and Microsoft are working together to address the talent shortages in the cybersecurity workforce by investing in students like you.

The Microsoft Cybersecurity Scholarship Program supports community college degree and industry certificate completion through financial assistance (up to $500) and subsidies for cybersecurity certification exam costs (up to $375). Students also receive access to LinkedIn Premium, GitHub Global Campus and Global Mentors Initiative. Financial assistance is intended to cover short-term basic needs, such as food, rent, health-related, transportation/car issues, and/or a laptop/device.

This opportunity is open to all academic classifications for students enrolled in a U.S. community college who are pursuing a certificate, associate, or bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity or cyber-adjacent degrees such as information technology, computer science, data systems, etc.

We accept dual enrollment for high school students also attending community college, however, all applicants must be at least 18 years of age to qualify for any funding from Last Mile Education Fund.

The Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF). It is a national competition where community college student teams, working with a faculty or administrator mentor, use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to innovate solutions to real-world problems; participate in an Innovation Boot Camp; and compete for cash awards.

AACC is pleased to announce that planning is underway to hold the Innovation Boot Camp in Washington, D.C. on June 8-11, 2026—and full travel support will be provided to the finalist teams to attend.

The Boot Camp provides professional development, mentoring, and coaching designed to build strategic communication and entrepreneurial skills to help students advance their innovations in both the private and public sectors. The event culminates in a poster session and engagement opportunity with STEM leaders and Congressional stakeholders, and a pitch presentation in front of a panel of industry and entrepreneurial professionals to determine the first, second, and third place winning teams.

The national CCIC is designed to enable community college students to discover and demonstrate their capacity to use STEM to make a difference in the world and to translate that knowledge into action.

Join Laura Chappell in this 1-hour Wireshark Workshop where she will focus on the Top 10 Tasks for Wireshark. From exporting a set of packets to setting up decryption to annotating for reports to unattended captures to using some of the newest display filter options – this fast-paced presentation will offer you some tips and tricks to share with your students and use in your own research. See you there!

Workshop cost: $100, this includes one 4.5-day workshop and General Admission. You may register for up to 2 workshops, but only 1 per week.

General Admission cost: FREE, this includes exhibitors’ booths, On-demand Videos, Meeting Area, Raffle, and more.

Have Questions? Contact richard.grotegut@wastc.org