Maryland colleges have initiated a Cyber & AI Clinic program designed to strengthen the state's cybersecurity talent pipeline, with a focus on industrial control systems (ICS) and operational technology (OT) security. Carroll Community College, together with Howard Community College and Frederick Community College, will deliver practical, hands-on cybersecurity training and provide affordable services to local organizations. This initiative, stemming from a $4 million statewide investment announced by Governor Wes Moore, is backed by the Cyber Maryland Program through the Maryland Department of Labor. The clinics are expected to train roughly 600 Maryland residents and offer services to sectors such as healthcare, youth services, and workforce development. The model anticipates engaging nearly 200 student interns over three years.
Background
The Cyber Maryland Program, managed by the Department of Labor, directed $1.5 million toward supervised, hands-on training for future cyber professionals-specifically in OT and ICS-as part of the broader $4 million workforce development investment announced in February 2026. The program incorporates three Cyber & AI Clinics statewide, each focused on building workforce preparedness and community resilience in cybersecurity. One of the clinics, led by Howard Community College, also operates in Carroll and Frederick Community Colleges, strengthening a regional training network through collaboration.
Details
Carroll Community College stated its clinic will offer students direct experience responding to active cybersecurity and AI issues while providing technical support to nonprofits and community partners. The program "emphasizes hands-on, real-world learning," said Kelly Koermer, vice president for workforce, business and community education at Carroll Community College. The initiative seeks to benefit both student interns and local groups by advancing cyber defenses within health, youth services, disability services, and workforce development organizations. The expanded Howard-Frederick-Carroll clinic expects to engage around 200 student interns over three years.
Governor Moore's office reported that the Cyber & AI Clinics will train roughly 600 Maryland residents during the grant period and supply cybersecurity services at low or no cost to schools, hospitals, nonprofits, and small businesses. Each clinic is required to tailor training programs to industry needs while increasing community resilience. One clinic will be based in Prince George's County to support defense industrial base organizations, with another focused on nonprofits statewide, further broadening the initiative's impact.
Outlook
In the coming years, the clinics are expected to expand hands-on OT/ICS cybersecurity training throughout Maryland, helping to narrow talent gaps and safeguard critical community organizations. These regional partnerships between higher education and industry could serve as templates for states seeking to enhance cyber-physical resilience.
