The University of Louisville could benefit from a new stream of federal funding for cybersecurity workforce training.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, visited his alma mater to discuss the initiative. The omnibus spending bill passed last month includes $20 million in funding for professional training programs like the one UofL leads.

“They’re training people in this highly important area of cybersecurity that we’re all dealing with, both in the private sector and in the government sector,” the senator said.

According to a release from the school, UofL partners with 10 other institutions, including the City University of New York, for its Cybersecurity Workforce Certificate Program. UofL’s professional development certificate program is run through its College of Education and Human Development.

The university received more than $6 million in federal funding to launch the program three years ago. Since then, more than 200 people have enrolled in the program.

Initially, it focused on providing training to military veterans and first responders. Thanks to additional funding, the certificate program now covers the logistics industry and includes a “train the trainer” facet for professionals who will then instruct others at their companies.

Besides CUNY, other schools partnering with UofL are the Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges, the University of North Florida, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, City University of Seattle, Kentucky State University, Simmons College, Kennesaw State University, Hood College and Northwest Missouri State University.

Other universities across the country are also developing similar cybersecurity training programs and would be eligible for the funding.

“The need for highly skilled cybersecurity professionals to protect our information systems is increasing rapidly,” UofL Interim President Lori Stewart Gonzalez said. “The University of Louisville is leading the way to meet this need in developing our innovative cybersecurity workforce training program and assembling a coalition of universities to support and replicate this training on a national level.”