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Illinois Leads Nation in Cyber Aces Competitors
[December 18, 2013]

Illinois Leads Nation in Cyber Aces Competitors


(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Dec. 17 -- The Illinois Department of Employment Security issued the following news release: Illinois leads the nation in the number of competitors in the Cyber Aces State Championship series designed to identify the next generation of cybersecurity talent, the Illinois Department of Employment Security said today. The challenge is part of Governor Pat Quinn's agenda to grow the Illinois economy, increase public safety and help Veterans, students and career changers enter the growing cyber workforce and obtain meaningful employment.



More than 3,160 individuals from 513 Illinois communities, including high school students, adults, Veterans and career-changers, registered to compete in this multiple round virtual tournament to identify those with the skills needed to protect and probe data in the public and private sector. The final of three qualifying modules is this week, Dec. 18 and 19, and the state championship is scheduled for March 1.

"Cybersecurity threats are real. Each day there are stories emphasizing the critical role cybersecurity professionals play in the public and private sector," IDES Director Jay Rowell said. "This competition helps identify those individuals with the discipline and skills needed to protect our infrastructure, economy and security." Illinois' results illustrate the goal to identify individuals with the ability to build upon their knowledge, intuition and problem-solving skills that are critical to cybersecurity efforts. Illinois' top five competitors thus far include two adults, two college students and one high school student. Nationally, Illinois has four individuals in the Top 50 - including the high school student.


Illinois was one of the leading states in the Cyber Aces challenge as federal officials quickly expand cybersecurity forces to counter evolving threats. Illinois' recruitment success is rooted in IDES' ability to send specific emails to individuals registered with illinoisjoblink.com, the state's help-wanted job board that IDES operates. Individuals can choose to receive information from IDES regardless of their employment status. IDES' email open rate is nearly 1 million per message.

CC Autotriage7sm-131218-30TagarumaMar-4582612 30TagarumaMar (c) 2013 Targeted News Service

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