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Arthur Earl Gibson is intensely serious about his education. He is working towards his associate degree at Trident Technical College (TTC)—a diligent dean’s list student—but also works as a youth apprentice with computer security service firm, McLeod Information Systems in North Charleston, which hired him when Arthur was just a rising senior in high school. Now, after two years of paid on-the-job training and having earned a certificate from TTC in cybersecurity through the Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeship Program, Arthur is about to enter the company’s next phase of training and apprenticeship.

“I had never even heard of cybersecurity before,” said Arthur, who learned about it when Debbie McLeod, company co-owner, came to his high school to give a presentation. “I have always been interested in medicine, but when I heard about cybersecurity I thought it sounded interesting, and that there must be a way for me to merge these two interests.” Arthur is not sure what that fusion of cybersecurity and healthcare will look like for him, but he knows the potential is there for a meaningful long-term career. “In the medical field, people handle all kinds of sensitive information and patient privacy is so important. Cybersecurity issues are crucial.”

What’s surprising given Arthur’s current academic prowess and ambitions is that he did not consider himself to be a high-achieving student in school. “When I was a little kid, I wasn’t always the best academically,” he said. “I have been on both sides of the spectrum: I was the kid who didn’t understand, and now I’m the kid who does.”

It is hard to imagine Arthur struggling academically. But by the time he reached high school, he was able to finish class assignments so quickly, he would ask to be excused so he could retreat to the library and read. Arthur also wanted to create a mentorship program at his high school to help students there. “I sent an outline of my idea to [my teacher] and, in his words, I walked into his office and then just ‘scurried off.’ I was really nervous, but I’ve grown since then.” That same teacher ended up being instrumental in helping Arthur apply to the Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeship program, and often accompanied Arthur to the TTC college campus.

Now, Arthur’s confidence and ability to look to the future with optimism is nurtured by Debbie McLeod and her husband Rodney, both of whom have taken him under their wing, offering both emotional and material support. Their relationship exemplifies how apprenticeship opportunities can turn into more than just a professional resume bullet point. Indeed, the McLeods have been able to witness significant positive changes in Arthur since he started working with them as a youth apprentice. “When Arthur first came in, he would mumble very softly and it would be extremely hard to understand what he was saying,” said Debbie. “Through the past two years, he’s been working on projecting so we can understand him better, and he’s even gotten his own apartment. And you should see the lunches he brings in!” 

Debbie McLeod’s background is in elementary education in Title I schools. Her experience teaching children without the kind of resources most people take for granted is what inspired the McLeod’s to proactively seek options for supporting local youth. “My husband has been in IT for 30 years, and with my background in education we decided to put the two together and try to bring interns in to work with us. We knew we wanted high school students to get their feet wet in an industry that they did not know even existed. That was our goal.”

At first, the McLeods hit a wall attempting to initiate an internship program, but when they found Apprenticeship Carolina, things began to fall into place. “I contacted them and explained what I wanted to do. One of the consultants there made some connections to get the ball rolling so we could offer opportunities to students.” This commitment to helping students succeed and know their own potential is all it took to now open up brand new access to cybersecurity career opportunities for Charleston youth. “We wanted to be the ones to at least present the opportunity of cybersecurity to them.”

There are approximately three million job openings in cybersecurity worldwide, and that, according to McLeod, is a huge opportunity and a huge problem. “As the attackers hone their skills, you need more and more defenders, and there just are not enough employees in the market right now. There is a huge gap there and the hacking is intensifying.

“What has been frustrating is not having the funding to bring more students in for paid on-the-job training,” she continued. “However, I think we are at the beginning of an important shift, a much-needed focus in terms of cybersecurity measures at all levels in all kinds of businesses.”

Coinciding with the new seriousness around cybersecurity, Arthur is starting to think about next steps to advance his future in the field. “I want to transfer to a four-year school to get my bachelor’s degree,” he said. “I’m considering a double major, finding a way to merge something in medicine with cybersecurity.” Rodney McLeod has already taken Arthur to tour the Orangeburg campus of South Carolina State University, and The Citadel has said it will make a space for him if he decides to stay in the Charleston area.

COVID-19 hit the McLeod enterprise hard. “We have had to adjust, just like other businesses across the state,” Debbie McLeod said, “but in talking with other companies, even though funds were drastically reduced, no one wanted to cut an apprenticeship program.”

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