LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. (April 13,2026)— U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel joined Palm Beach State College leaders and students today to announce more than $1 million in federal funding for a new Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Training Center at PBSC’s Lake Worth campus.
The funding will also help launch Palm Beach County’s first cyber range, a virtual training environment where students and professionals can practice responding to cyberattacks without risking real systems or sensitive data.
“This investment will help ensure Palm Beach County has the skilled workforce it needs right here at home,” Frankel said.
The cyber range will support PBSC students and PBSC hopes to also provide training for school district employees, teachers developing K-12 cybersecurity pathways through the CHOICE program, municipal workers and local law enforcement agencies across the county.
PBSC President Ava L. Parker, J.D., said the center will help prepare students for careers in two of the fastest-growing fields in the economy.
“This center is more than a building or a lab — it’s a promise to our students, our community and our future workforce,” Parker said. “It will serve as a hub for innovation, hands-on learning and collaboration with industry leaders.”
The new center will provide hands-on learning in applied artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, with a focus on protecting data, strengthening digital systems and responding to rising cyber threats. PBSC students will be trained for careers such as cybersecurity analyst, information security specialist, security operations center analyst and AI technician.
The federal funding will help purchase cybersecurity lab equipment, virtual cyber range platforms, network security hardware, monitoring tools, high-performance workstations and AI development software.
Frankel said the investment will strengthen the local talent pipeline, support economic growth and expand workforce training in a rapidly changing technology sector.
PBSC Media Contact:
Kerry Capell
Director of Communications
(cell) 561-670-2849
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About Palm Beach State College
Founded in 1933 as Florida’s first public community college, Palm Beach State College has been an integral player in the growth and prosperity of Palm Beach County. Our graduates impact every industry and are community and business leaders. With 170 different programs of study, PBSC offers bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, professional certificates, career training and lifelong learning. More than 40,000 students enroll annually in onsite, online, live online and hybrid classes at five convenient locations in Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Lake Worth, Loxahatchee Groves and Palm Beach Gardens, and through PBSC Online. Learn more at www.pbsc.edu.
