TORCH: Training, Outreach, and Recruitment for Cybersecurity in Hydropower
An open-and-go tool developed for professors, industry leaders, and students
In 2023, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office joined to establish TORCH (Training, Outreach, and Recruitment for Cybersecurity in Hydropower). This initiative aims to engage industry and academia through a captivating training curriculum dedicated to developing the next generation of cybersecurity experts specializing in hydropower technology and governance.
TORCH is specifically designed to equip individuals with the necessary skills to carry out their job duties while seamlessly integrating cybersecurity into their hydropower job roles and responsibilities. TORCH provides the necessary hydropower and cybersecurity knowledge to the participants, so they learn how to apply their skills to protect facilities and ensure the continuous operation of their critical functions.
Currently, the hydropower industry has many job roles that would benefit positively from including cybersecurity as part of their training. This is where TORCH comes into play, serving as both an outreach platform for cybersecurity candidates and as a catalyst for developing curriculum for those who are ready to embrace the challenge. TORCH has the power to light the path by training a larger and more diverse pool of candidates in a wide range of cybersecurity roles within the field of hydropower.
