MAGIC is pleased to announce that they are recipients of a Rural Maryland Council Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) grant of $15,414.00. This funding will be used to offer MAGIC’s cybersecurity workforce development initiatives to rural students across the state.
The purpose of the MAERDAF program is to overcome barriers to opportunity in rural communities in Maryland. Grant funding will allow MAGIC to provide more secondary learning opportunities throughout the year, including their popular Hackathon and Capture the Flag competitions.
“This support from the Rural Maryland Council will allow us to grow our CyberJobs program,” says Graham Dodge, Executive Director of MAGIC. “We’ve been honored to serve our own rural community here in Westminster, and we’re excited to provide these opportunities to students in rural communities throughout the state.”
Previously funded by a USDA Rural Business Development Grant focused on rural areas within Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, CyberJobs supports cybersecurity job creation by providing workforce development and internship programs for students in their own communities.
“The MAERDAF Grant Review Board looks to support programs that engage and prepare rural youth for workforce readiness but also highlighting the opportunities that are available to them,” says Charlotte Davis, the Executive Director of the Rural Maryland Council. “We were excited to support this program which will help develop skills and workers for the future of Rural Maryland.”
