Want to be a spy? These classes will help
Monday, March 23, 2009
DAYTON — Next week, Sinclair Community College begins offering classes designed to help students land jobs as intelligence analysts, either with the government or defense contractors.
The courses for the spring quarter that begins March 30 are titled Introduction to Intelligence Community and Fundamentals of Remote Sensing in Intelligence. Each has already attracted 29 students in advance registration, said Surinder Jain, Sinclair's interim associate dean for science, mathematics and engineering. Students seeking to take the courses must be U.S. citizens, Jain said Monday, March 23.
Jain said he is encouraged by the student interest and hopes to have additional, related course offerings in place this fall.
It is the latest Miami Valley college to offer such courses in partnership with the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center for Human Capital Development. The Beavercreek school is leading the region's effort to train a new generation of intelligence analysts to help U.S. authorities keep an eye on what the nation's enemies are doing.
Clark State Community College and Wright State University were the region's initial academic partner institutions for ATIC, which moved into its new Beavercreek building at 2685 Hibiscus Way in November. Faculty from ATIC, Riverside Research Institute and the Air Force are among those who teach the courses, which are coordinated between ATIC and the host institutions.
ATIC officials help students obtain security clearances needed for later, more sensitive courses and, ultimately, for jobs as intelligence analysts. ATIC and the partner schools are collaborating on course offerings that the officials say can prepare students for jobs at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, defense contractors or the Washington, D.C., region.
The courses are designed to appeal to workers who have lost their jobs as well as those who have jobs but are looking to change careers, Jain said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
