Hill College Receives $800,000 TRUE Grant to Launch Fast-Track Cybersecurity Training Consortium
Ashlee Ferguson
Monday, December 15, 2025 1:13 PM
General Events, Academics
Hillsboro, TX
Hill College, in partnership with Weatherford College and regional industry leaders, has been awarded an $800,000 Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to launch the Partners Advancing Cybersecurity Training (PACT) Consortium.
The award is part of $9.9 million in TRUE grant funding distributed statewide to support Texas public higher education institutions in creating, redesigning, and expanding short-term workforce training programs aligned with high-demand occupations.
“These career and technical education programs are aligned to jobs available today in Texas’s robust and diverse economy,” said Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Wynn Rosser. “Institutions are partnering with employers, workforce boards, economic development corporations, and trade associations to develop the programs, making it a collaborative effort with the state to support our mission of building a talent-strong Texas.”
Through the PACT Consortium, Hill College and Weatherford College will design and deliver an intensive 16-week, hybrid Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst workforce program. The program combines focused classroom instruction with hands-on training in a real-world, student-driven SOC environment supported by industry partners. Students will respond to simulated and live alerts under structured supervision and produce incident reports, dashboards, playbooks, and professional portfolios aligned with employer expectations.
The curriculum will align with industry-recognized certifications. Students will complete Stellar Cyber certification and build the knowledge and skills needed to pursue CompTIA Security+, creating a direct pathway from training to employment in entry-level SOC and cyber defense roles.
Hill College will serve as the lead applicant and fiscal agent for the grant, with Weatherford College as the consortium partner college. Industry and nonprofit partners — including Blackswan Cybersecurity, Scinary Cybersecurity, and the U.S. Cyber Defense Center — will support mentorship, applied learning, mock interviews, hiring events, internships, externships, and career coaching. The program also includes an Employment Transition Plan that provides guaranteed interviews with employer partners for all program completers.
“This grant positions Hill College to lead a thoughtful regional response to the cybersecurity talent gap,” said Dr. Thomas Mills, President of Hill College. “Through the PACT Consortium, we are working collaboratively to provide students with rapid access to relevant skills, respected credentials, and real opportunities for advancement in a field critical to the future of Texas.”
“Weatherford College is honored to partner with Hill College through the PACT Consortium,” said Dr. Tod Allen Farmer, President of Weatherford College. “By working together, our colleges can offer a high-quality, short-term program that reaches students across a broad region of North Central Texas and responds directly to employer needs in IT and cybersecurity.”
TRUE grant funding will support curriculum and instructional design, implementation of a cloud-based SOC platform, instructional equipment and loaner laptops, targeted outreach, student financial assistance for eligible cohorts, and project coordination and reporting.
Together, Hill College and Weatherford College serve a connected corridor of communities from Hill and Johnson counties along the I-35 corridor through fast-growing areas in Parker, Hood, Wise, Palo Pinto, Bosque, and Somervell counties. This shared footprint positions the PACT Consortium to build a strong regional cybersecurity talent pipeline that benefits students, employers, and communities across North Central Texas.
“We are grateful to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and to our partners at Weatherford College, Blackswan Cybersecurity, Scinary Cybersecurity, and the U.S. Cyber Defense Center for making this work possible,” said Irene Accomando, Vice President of Instruction at Hill College. “The PACT Consortium will enable our faculty and industry partners to deliver a rigorous, hands-on curriculum that places students in real SOC environments, accelerates their path to a first job in cybersecurity, and expands access for adult learners and career changers who may not have previously seen a clear entry point into this field.”
The first cohorts of the SOC Analyst program are expected to launch in Spring 2026.
For more information about the Partners Advancing Cybersecurity Training (PACT) Consortium and upcoming cybersecurity training opportunities at Hill College, contact Mohammed Al Tememi at maltememi@hillcollege.edu or 254.659.7950.
About Hill College
Hill College is a public community college headquartered in Hillsboro, Texas, with additional locations in Cleburne and Burleson. The college serves a broad Central North Texas region by offering academic transfer pathways, workforce and technical programs, and continuing education that support student success and regional economic development.
About Weatherford College
Weatherford College is a public community college founded in 1869 and recognized as one of the oldest continuing community colleges west of the Mississippi River. The college serves Parker, Palo Pinto, Hood, Jack, and Wise counties, providing academic transfer, workforce, and lifelong learning programs that respond to regional workforce needs.
About Blackswan Cybersecurity
Blackswan Cybersecurity is an award-winning managed security services provider headquartered in North Texas, operating a 24/7 Cyber Fusion Center that delivers extended detection and response, incident response, and advisory services to organizations of all sizes.
About Scinary Cybersecurity
Scinary Cybersecurity is a Waco-based cybersecurity company specializing in managed security services for K–12 schools, higher education, and local government, providing enterprise-grade protection through its Scinary Centurion platform.
About the U.S. Cyber Defense Center
The U.S. Cyber Defense Center is a Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to developing the next generation of cyber defenders through project-based learning, internships, and practitioner-led training.