P.J. Burns proudly holds her certificate as a Wyoming SBDC Cybersecurity Business Counselor Registered Apprentice graduate, marking a milestone in small business cybersecurity education in Wyoming.
Wyoming SBDC Advisor Completes Nation’s Only Cybersecurity Business Counselor Registered Apprenticeship
By Mary Keane, CyberWyoming Cybersecurity Business Counselor with assistance from AI
P.J. Burns of Gillette, Wyoming, has graduated from the Wyoming SBDC Cybersecurity Business Counselor Registered Apprenticeship – the only program of its kind in the U.S. – equipping her to help small businesses protect themselves against cyber threats.
The Cybersecurity Business Counselor Registered Apprenticeship Program, developed and sponsored by CyberWyoming, is the only program of its kind in the United States and is officially approved by the Department of Labor. Designed to bridge the gap between cybersecurity standards and small business realities, the program provides business advisors with the knowledge and tools to guide microbusinesses—those with fewer than 20 employees—in managing security risks without dedicated IT staff.
Burns’ achievement underscores the growing need for right-sized cybersecurity guidance for small businesses. The program covers seven key areas:
- Data privacy procedures
- Strategic security planning
- Risk assessment
- Policy writing
- Employee training
- Incident response planning
- Succession planning
Through a combination of virtual coursework and on-the-job experience, graduates like Burns gain the skills to help small businesses strengthen their security while keeping the process simple and accessible.
“I am grateful for CyberWyoming’s help and guidance over the last two years. They made the training fun. I came into this with limited cybersecurity knowledge, and I left feeling confident in advising small businesses in this arena,” said Burns.
Burns is using her new skills to support businesses across Campbell County and beyond. CyberWyoming invites other advisors and business organizations to explore the apprenticeship model for their communities.
“We have been privileged to have CyberWyoming join us as a partner to provide services to our clients and training to our staff through our Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot Program,” said Paul Johnson, Program Manager for the Wyoming SBDC Network. “This statewide program, fully funded by the U.S. Small Business administration allows us to provide cyber readiness advising to small businesses who lack the resources to engage IT professionals. The training P.J. and our other staff members received from CyberWyoming helped her engage with her small business clients to put cybersecurity practices in place and make their businesses more prepared against hackers and more resilient to recover from cyber-attacks.”
CyberWyoming encourages business development organizations, economic groups, and advisors nationwide to consider the Cybersecurity Business Counselor apprenticeship as a model for strengthening small business cybersecurity at the local level.
