The CIS/Cybersecurity Department brought the best of the industry to campus with a powerhouse Employers Day on Friday, October 3, 2025!
The day kicked off with an inspirational visit from Oakland’s honorable Mayor Barbara Lee. She didn't just offer support—she delivered concrete news for our students, detailing the surge of security career opportunities available at companies right here in Oakland. Elevating the event even further was our keynote speaker, Chaim Sanders, the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Lyft. He provided essential, actionable strategies, ensuring our graduates are fully equipped to dominate the job market and secure those crucial entry-level cybersecurity jobs.
From left to right: Department Chair Beverly D. Brooks, Program Founder Jim Cates, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and Merritt College President David M. Johnson.
From left to right: Program Founder Jim Cates, Keynote Speaker and Lyft Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Chaim Sanders, Salesforce representative Hakeem Oseni, Merritt College Professor Vaibhav Bhandari, and CISE representative Todd Dekkings.
At Merritt College, the Cybersecurity Program is meeting the growing demand for skilled information security professionals through expert-led, hands-on training. Students develop core skills in ethical hacking, secure coding, network defense, and cloud security—all aligned with current industry standards. The program offers two Associate of Science Degrees: Applications Security and Infrastructure Security, which are both designed to be completed in just two years. However, students are welcome to choose either of these learning tracks to pursue a Certificate of Achievement as well. The program offers Friday classes to create more flexibility catered to students’ needs, and provides internships and real-world labs to ensure students gain not only technical knowledge, but also the professional experience needed to succeed immediately after graduation.
Located in the Bay Area, one of the nation’s leading technology regions, Merritt College connects students directly to a booming job market. With thousands of cybersecurity openings nationwide and strong local demand, graduates are well-positioned to launch meaningful, high-paying careers close to home. Employers Day brought the connection between education and opportunity to life, bridging the classroom with real-world insights from top security leaders and public officials.
Merritt’s commitment to building a strong cybersecurity pipeline also extends into the community through CyberCamp, a free two-week introduction to cybersecurity for middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults. Taught by Merritt faculty using the nationally recognized CyberPatriot program, participants learn fundamental skills like hacking prevention and system hardening, and can participate in team competitions for awards.
Regularly competing in the National Cyber League, Merritt’s cybersecurity students continue to earn recognition on the national stage where they showcase their technical expertise and collaborative problem-solving skills. Their success reflects the program’s emphasis on applied learning and academic excellence.
As cybersecurity threats evolve, Merritt College remains at the forefront of training the next generation of digital defenders, prepared to protect, innovate, and lead. If you’ve been considering a career in Cybersecurity, please visit the Merritt Cybersecurity page or reach out to Department Chair Beverly Brooks at bdbrooks@peralta.edu, and she will be more than happy to assist you along your educational journey.
