COLUMBIA, Md. — July 21, 2026 — The Technology Advancement Center (TAC) today announced it has been selected by the Maryland Department of Labor as an awardee under the Maryland Lighthouse Industries Upskilling and Reskilling Program, a statewide initiative to prepare Maryland’s workforce for careers in high-growth industries increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
As one of only seven organizations selected statewide, TAC will use the award to expand delivery of its Operational Technology (OT) BoOTcamp™, an immersive workforce development program that prepares cybersecurity professionals, engineers, operators, and technicians to secure the industrial systems that power and protect the nation’s critical infrastructure.
“Maryland is home to one of the nation’s most important cybersecurity ecosystems,” said Chris Hollifield, CEO, TAC. “This investment from the Maryland Department of Labor enables TAC to expand access to specialized Operational Technology cybersecurity training, helping build the skilled workforce needed to protect our critical infrastructure while strengthening Maryland’s leadership in cybersecurity and national security.”
The need for Operational Technology (OT) cybersecurity expertise has never been greater. According to Forescout Vedere Labs’ 2023 Global Threat Roundup, cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure increased by 30 percent in 2024, with more than 420 million incidents reported worldwide. At the same time, only 34 percent of organizations use cybersecurity tools specifically designed to protect Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and Operational Technology environments, leaving many essential systems vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated threats.
Hosted by TAC and developed by its nationally recognized cybersecurity research team, the OT BoOTcamp™ provides intensive, hands-on training that equips participants with practical skills to secure Operational Technology and Industrial Control Systems. The program addresses one of the nation’s fastest-growing workforce challenges by preparing professionals to defend the systems that operate essential services and industrial operations.
Participants receive practical instruction in securing OT environments used throughout the 16 Critical Infrastructure Sectors identified by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA.)
“As information technology and operational technology continue to converge, organizations need professionals who understand how to secure both digital networks and industrial operations,” said Chris Hollifield. “The OT BoOTcamp™ gives Maryland workers the specialized knowledge and hands-on experience needed to protect the systems that keep our lights on, our water flowing, our transportation moving, and our defense industrial base operating.”
The Maryland Lighthouse Industries Upskilling and Reskilling Program supports workforce development in the state’s strategic industries—including cybersecurity, technology, aerospace and defense, life sciences, and manufacturing—through industry-driven partnerships that prepare Marylanders for the jobs of tomorrow while strengthening the state’s economic competitiveness.
TAC’s award directly supports Governor Wes Moore’s vision of preparing Maryland’s workforce for an economy increasingly shaped by emerging technologies while ensuring employers have access to highly skilled cybersecurity talent capable of protecting the infrastructure that powers Maryland and the nation.
About the Technology Advancement Center (TAC)
The Technology Advancement Center (TAC) is a Maryland-based nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating technology commercialization, strengthening the nation’s innovation ecosystem, and developing the workforce needed to support emerging technologies and national security priorities. Through workforce development, technology transition initiatives, applied cybersecurity research, and public-private partnerships, TAC connects government, industry, academia, and entrepreneurs to solve complex challenges and strengthen America’s innovation and critical infrastructure resilience.
