Washtenaw Community College student Scott Cochran has already found career success working in the cybersecurity field even before completing his degree.
The Ypsilanti resident decided to change careers and pursue a Cybersecurity associate degree after seeing firsthand how damaging a cyberattack can be.
Recognizing the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, Cochran found WCC's curriculum closely aligns with industry needs.
“There is a persistent skills gap in this industry for security professionals who genuinely understand networking, so any program that takes it seriously is doing its students a real service,” says Cochran.
As cyberattacks continue to increase, organizations need more trained professionals to prevent, detect and respond to digital threats.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for information security analysts is projected to grow 29% through 2034, generating roughly 16,000 job openings annually.
The flexible, online structure of WCC's Cybersecurity program was a major draw for Cochran and has allowed him to continue working full-time while also earning industry certifications in CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), and Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900). He’ll continue to pursue advanced industry certifications.
Through coursework in networking, systems security and threat detection, Cochran developed the technical foundation that has helped him advance into the field and earn industry certifications.
Recently hired as a Cybersecurity Analyst at Karhu Cyber, a managed security services provider, he is tasked with building out and taking ownership of the Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) department.
“I wanted to become the person who could stand between cyber criminals and the people who don't know how to defend against them," Cochran said. "That's still what drives me.”
CAREER OUTLOOK
• Role: Cybersecurity analyst, network security specialist, security operations analyst
• Demand: 16,000 annual openings; 29% growth through 2034
• Salary: $60,000–$80,000 starting; $100,000+ with experience
This story first appeared in the Fall 2026 edition of Launch magazine.
Tags: Student Profile, cybersecurity