(ABC 6 News) – Rochester Community and Technical College announced the school will launch a Cybersecurity Associate of Applied Science degree in fall in response to growing cyberattacks.

— RELATED: Cyber attack targets United Health Group —

“RCTC’s new program aims to fill the gap of cybersecurity professionals trained to detect and react to cyber-attacks,” said Michelle Pyfferoen, vice president of academic affairs at RCTC.

According to the college, Minnesota has about 6,500 cybersecurity job openings. Similar estimates from Metropolitan State University conclude about 6,000 openings.

Nationwide, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated about 168,000 cybersecurity jobs.

The RCTC program offers two potential outcomes for its students. The first, would encourage students to transfer from RCTC’s two year associate program to a four-year institution.

“It’s tailored to prepare students for industry-standard CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA CySa+ exams, blending theory and practical skills,” said RCTC instructor Dr. Brendan Shea.

Alternatively, students could enter the workforce after their two year education at RCTC.