Northrop Grumman Corp. has entered into a Department of Defense Mentor-Protégé agreement with Digit All City (DAC), to develop the Cyber Warrior Diversity Program at Morgan State University and Coppin State University.

Under the two-year agreement, Northrop Grumman will help DAC enhance its cyber security training and testing. DAC serves more than 10,000 students.

DAC will work with Morgan State and Coppin State to implement the Cyber Warrior Diversity Program providing training for careers in cyber security through certifications attained by participating students. The training is designed to prepare individuals to defend information systems and networks.

Northrop Grumman and the Maryland Procurement Technical Assistance Center will assist DAC in developing skills to successfully compete for federal, state and local contracts.

The DoD Mentor-Protégé Program provides a framework for prime contractors to pair with small businesses to help their protégés expand their business skills and better compete for DoD contracts. The relationships benefit the protégé, mentor and DoD. The Mentor-Protégé Program is part of the DoD’s Office of Small Business Programs and is a key initiative within Northrop Grumman’s Global Supply Chain Supplier Diversity Program.

“Northrop Grumman is pleased to be able to transfer know-how and experience to DAC and Historically Black Colleges and Universities so they can grow and develop a community of cyber warriors that will help protect our nation from cyber security threats,” said Dr. Jaime Bohnke, vice president, global supply chain, Northrop Grumman Corporation. “This program is an example of a government, industry and academic partnership applying a unique solution to tackle the critical shortage of cyber security professionals.”

In Maryland, approximately 60 percent of the company’s suppliers (and 50 percent of all its spending) are with small businesses and/or women or minority-owned firms.