Project start date: July 1, 2022. Status: Ongoing. The Florida Legislature awarded Cyber Florida at USF $30 million to develop and implement the nation's first comprehensive public-sector cybersecurity training and education program. Cyber Florida titled the initiative "FirstLine," as human beings are often the first line of defense against cyberattacks. In accordance with the grant legislation, Cyber Florida partnered with the State University System of Florida, inviting faculty from the University of South Florida, Florida International University, and the University of West Florida to create and deliver a catalog of cybersecurity education, training, and upskilling courses. Courses are provided at no cost to any public-sector employee in the state of Florida, including law enforcement and public school district employees, as well as municipal, county, and state agency staff. The program will continue until funding is depleted and, as of November 2026, has served more than 20,000 public-sector employees.
Visit https://cyberflorida.org/firstline to learn more and view current course offerings.