The (PCATT), a consortium of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ Community Colleges, has made a significant impact on local workforce development, with more than 16,524 students served through more than 1,816 classes since 2020. This demonstrates the center’s crucial role in providing advanced technology training across the region as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Core offerings, including certifications in networking, computer programming, software development, cloud computing, and cyber security, remain strong and continually updated. PCATT is also the sole Â鶹´«Ã½-based sponsor offering a state-verified registered apprenticeship in information technology, providing a vital “earn-while-you-learn” pathway for residents to upskill.

Technology education leader

More than two decades after starting up PCATT remains a leader in providing high-quality, industry-relevant technology education, equipping local professionals with skills for high-demand careers. PCATT also operates a Cisco Networking Academy Support Center and Instructor Training Center for the Central Pacific (including Â鶹´«Ã½, Guam, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Fiji).

PCATT continues to expand into cutting-edge fields, including a new AI for workforce pathway with training in generative AI and machine learning. This forward-looking approach will be highlighted at the PCATT Summit 2026: AI for Action and Impact in June 2026.

Director Dan Doerger said, “For 25 years, PCATT has helped shape ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s technology workforce—and with its continued innovation and partnerships, the next 25 promise to be even more transformative.”

University of UH (PCATT) Director Dan Doerger has been named a 2025 Workforce Development Hero by the Â鶹´«Ã½ State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR). The annual awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations for their leadership in advancing workforce opportunities across the islands.

As director of PCATT, Doerger oversees workforce development in technology sectors across UH’s seven community colleges. He collaborates with industry leaders, faculty and staff in both credit and non-credit programs to assess workforce needs, design training and upskilling opportunities, and create statewide pathways—from K–12 to post-secondary to apprenticeships to career—for student and worker success.

A lifelong educator with more than three decades of teaching experience in secondary schools and at the university level, Doerger previously served as director of workforce innovation in the UH Community Colleges system.

“Each of this year’s Workforce Development Heroes has gone above and beyond in creating pathways to opportunity,” said Workforce Development Council Executive Director Bennette Misalucha. “Their efforts have empowered individuals, strengthened communities and contributed to the overall resilience and competitiveness of Â鶹´«Ã½’s workforce.”

Doerger was one of two recipients from Oʻahu, along with Julie Morikawa, founder and president of ClimbHI. Other 2025 Workforce Development Heroes are: Katie Taladay, director of workforce development at the Maui Economic Development Board (Maui); Jackie Kaina, executive director of the Kauaʻi Economic Development Board (Kauaʻi); Clinton Mercado, executive director of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Workforce Development Board (Â鶹´«Ã½ Island); and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Daniel Iaela of the Hawaiian Council (formerly Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement).

The honorees will be recognized at the Future of Work 2025 Conference on September 24, at the Japanese Cultural Center of Â鶹´«Ã½.

Students across all University of Â鶹´«Ã½ Community College campuses have a powerful new pathway into the tech industry. In celebration of National Apprenticeship Day (April 30, 2025), the (PCATT) has launched its IT Registered Apprenticeship Program—a dynamic, paid internship designed to jumpstart careers in Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s growing technology sector.

“This apprenticeship is a game-changer for anyone looking to start a meaningful career in IT,” said Dan Doerger, director of PCATT. “It’s a unique opportunity to get paid while gaining skills that are in high demand across Â鶹´«Ã½.”

To apply for this competitive program, visIT the .

Developed in collaboration with local employers, the program is tailored specifically for IT help desk technician roles. Apprentices will gain real-world experience through a combination of paid on-the-job training and structured coursework delivered by PCATT. Participants will also earn industry-recognized certifications, including CompTIA A+ and Cisco Certified Support Technician.

The program is open to a wide range of Â鶹´«Ã½ residents—from recent high school or college graduates to adult learners and career changers—especially those looking to enter the tech field with strong foundational skills and job-ready experience.

PCATT serves all seven UH Community College campuses as the system’s advanced technology training consortium, and offers the latest in advanced technology curriculum—from cybersecurity, routing/switching to virtualization. PCATT has training centers on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi and Â鶹´«Ã½ Island.

Four University of Â鶹´«Ã½ Community Colleges received funding for technology projects that include equipping testing centers, upgrading computer labs and leveraging advanced technologies to engage community members in non-credit financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs. The (PCATT) awarded technology grants totaling $75,000 to Â鶹´«Ã½ CC, Kauaʻi CC, Leeward CC and Windward CC.

“These grants will support non-credit technology courses across the state and bolster the great work that is already being done by the continuing education divisions at the UH Community College System,” says Dan Doerger, PCATT director. “Our goal is to continue to provide learning opportunities that empower our non-credit students to achieve their career goals.”

Campus initiatives include:

• : iPads and innovative apps to enhance educational opportunities. These tools will support programs in 3D modeling and hands-on learning for middle and high school students, while also providing professional development for Hawai‘i Department of Education teachers to incorporate these technologies into future courses.
• : Apple product classes, refreshing computer labs, and offering Geographic Information Systems (GIS) courses, ensuring the campus can better serve a diverse community.
• : Expanding CompTIA instruction by certifying a Pearson Vue testing facility and upgrading classroom instructional resources.
• : Enhancing and expanding its successful entrepreneurship and financial literacy program targeting K–12 students. With updated equipment and increased group work center capacity, the campus will aim to double their outreach, providing students with hands-on experience in creating and marketing their own products, while learning valuable business skills.

PCATT is a consortium of the seven UH Community Colleges dedicated to advancing technology education. It offers a wide array of training programs and resources designed to empower students and professionals to keep pace with the ever-evolving tech industry. PCATT fosters innovation and skill development, preparing individuals for successful careers in technology-driven fields across the Pacific region and beyond.

With key support from two anonymous donors, matching gifts from Ritchie Mudd and the Â鶹´«Ã½ Regional Council of Carpenters (HRCC), and many dedicated faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the campus, raised $168,000 in a few months, surpassing its goal of $100,000 by December 31, in honor of the campus’s 100th year anniversary.

“We are so grateful that our 100-year milestone energized our community and resulted in significant new support for our students and faculty,” said Honolulu CC Interim Chancellor Karen C. Lee. “Together, we are building a lasting foundation for innovative projects that will enrich our students’ learning experience and allow them to thrive after graduation.”

$50K for computing, networking

An anonymous friend of the college donated $50,000 to support the , which is in high demand due to the constant changes in technology and cybersecurity. The program’s hands-on learning approach and dedicated faculty prepare students for careers in cyber defense, computing, security, telecommunications and networking. This gift will ensure that the program remains on the cutting-edge and graduates are well-prepared for the workforce.

Founded in 1920, Honolulu CC is the oldest community college in Â鶹´«Ã½ with a strong liberal arts program enabling students to seamlessly transfer to a four-year university, plus more than 20 career and technical education programs in a wide-range of in-demand fields. The college also offers a number of non-credit programs, including the , and hosts the largest program in the state.

Construction industry support

Ritchie Mudd, a local construction industry veteran and long-time supporter of Honolulu CC, established a new Honolulu CC Building and Construction Trades Fund.

“I’m honored to support Honolulu CC faculty and staff with access to state-of-the-art equipment, innovative projects, scholarship and professional development opportunities in the building and construction trade programs,” said Mudd. “We need to support our local students so they can get educated here and stay in Â鶹´«Ã½.”

HRCC generously supported , which was created in honor of the campus’s centennial anniversary.

“The construction industry is one of the state’s top economic drivers, and the community college system is critical to providing the continuous pipeline of skilled craftsmen and women needed to meet the challenges of this essential and ever-changing industry. It is important for us to fully support Honolulu CC and the educators of the future construction workforce,” said Ronald Taketa, HRCC executive secretary-treasurer.

Over the past 100 years, Honolulu CC has transformed thousands of lives by awarding tens of thousands of degrees and certificates, and offering a vast array of non-credit and apprenticeship courses. Through it all, its mission to provide accessible and high-quality educational and training opportunities to current and future generations of Â鶹´«Ã½ is unwavering.

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½ helped train 170 students from across the state in cybersecurity in summer 2019. UH Information Technology Services, the , and UH Community Colleges’ advanced technology training consortium, the (PCATT), partnered in GenCyber Â鶹´«Ã½ 2019, providing enrichment opportunities to train the youngest generation of cybersecurity professionals and teachers through summer camps.

This year, seven GenCyber high school and middle school camps were held on Oʻahu at , Maui, Â鶹´«Ã½ Island, Molokaʻi and Kauaʻi.

“Over the past five years, GenCyber Â鶹´«Ã½ held 25 camps to train 701 teachers and 25 camps to train 683 students,” said Steven Auerbach, director of PCATT. “GenCyber students currently are pursuing college computer science and cybersecurity programs and achieving industry recognized certification. Many received college scholarships and secured internships in cybersecurity.”

GenCyber camps are designed to be a fun part of the solution to a shortfall of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Ensuring that enough young people are inspired to direct their talents in this area is critical to the future of the country’s national and economic security as there is more reliance on cyber-based technology.

Camps are free, and funding is provided jointly by the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Science Foundation and Information Systems Security Association’s Â鶹´«Ã½ chapter. Participants learned about cyber hygiene, networking, coding, basic forensics, classical and modern cryptographic systems among many other cybersecurity related topics. They also learned about circuits, soldering and computing using Raspberry PIs and Microbits.

The camps culminated with a Capture-the-Flag hacking event where students used their newly acquired skills to hack and defend their way to victory. At the closing ceremony, participants and their families heard from the state’s NSA commander, Captain Curt Mole, about careers in cybersecurity along with the importance of integrity, passion and resiliency, and the strategic need to cultivate cybersecurity professionals in Â鶹´«Ã½.

Participants watched the CBS story, “.”

Through a mini career and education fair, parents and students learned more about career opportunities from employers including UH, Hawaiian Telcom, Booz Allen Hamilton, CIO Council of Â鶹´«Ã½ member companies and federal agencies.

The GenCyber program is a vital component of Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development Strategic plan which directly supports the UH’s .

S.

In Â鶹´«Ã½ high schools, students who are college-bound take advanced placement (AP) classes in topics ranging from English to biology. The goal: to pass AP exams while in high school and be exempted from introductory coursework at the university level and reap possible scholarship money.

Now 14 teachers from nine public high schools on four islands are missing part of their summer vacation to be trained by University of Â鶹´«Ã½ personnel to teach the state’s newest AP class in the fall: computer science principles (CSP). UH secured the $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s STEM+C program for the , which ran June 18–22 at .

“The more our students and our youth can learn these skills, they’re going to be transferable and applicable to their careers,” said Steve Auerbach, the director of at who serves as project co-investigator.

Educating more computer science savvy students will have the added benefit of increasing the pipeline of STEM and cyber-educated young people flowing into the workforce. Said Auerbach, “The more our students and youth can learn these skills, they’re going to be transferable and applicable to their careers.”

Auerbach said the soon-to-be AP–CSP teachers learned subjects such as programming, data sciences and cybersecurity. “They’re getting lesson plans, the curriculum, and they’re going to be very successful in taking the teaching back to their classroom environments.”

Thrilled to be one of the first teachers to get AP–CSP teacher training is ʻAiea High math teacher Alicia Nakamitsu. “I’m really excited to bring this back to our school and also to increase the diversity of professionals in computer science, to even out the girls and the boys, and the different ethnicities that are represented in the field,” said Nakamitsu. “And I just want to let students know that computer science is for everybody, because it touches everybody’s lives.”

Dodi Pritchett, a special education teacher at King Kekaulike High on Maui, said she and fellow teacher Loren Ayresman are also looking forward to leading the new AP–CSP class. Said Pritchett, “One of the goals that Loren and I have been brainstorming during this training is to collaborate together and really make the computer science course really accessible for all students, including those with special needs.”

Teachers in the first cohort:

• Oʻahu schools: Castle High – Dan Johnson; ʻAiea High – Ken Kang, Alicia Nakamitsu; Leilehua High – Brent Yamagata, Darren Kojima.
• Maui schools: King Kekaulike – Loren Ayersman, Dodi Pritchett; Maui High – Keith Imada; Lahainaluna High – Tad Luckey; Baldwin High – Casey Watanabe.
• Kauaʻi schools: Kapaʻa High – Liz Steiner, Richard Sypniewski; Martin Antonio.
• Â鶹´«Ã½ Island schools: Konawaena High – Paul Daugherty.

This first summer training of a planned three-year program benefits from a brain trust leadership involving multiple UH campuses. Principal investigator Debasis Bhattacharya is the program coordinator for applied business and information technology at . Co-investigators are Auerbach; Jodi Ito, UH chief information security officer; Gerald Lau, assistant faculty specialist at UH ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹’s in the ; and Debra Nakama, vice chancellor of student affairs at UH Maui College.

For more information, see .

College and high school students were among the winners in the fifth annual University of Â鶹´«Ã½–AT&T Mobile Tech Hackathon held March 9–10 at Sacred Hearts Academy.

The event drew a record 200 participants. Prizes totaling $8,000 were distributed in eight categories to teams who had just 24 hours to build an app.

Team Aloha won the best overall app grand prize of $2,500. The team built an app that brings old-fashioned postcards into the 21st century using an augmented reality app. Team Turretz, which included student Mirabela Medallon, won the $1,000 first-place prize for best entertainment/gaming app with a 3D battlefield in which players defend themselves using turrets to ward off hordes of enemies. Six other teams, including one from Waipahu High School, won prizes totaling $4,500.

Governor David Ige and UH President David Lassner served as Hackathon judges. They were joined by UH Information and Computer Sciences Professor and AT&T RAN (Radio Access Network) Director Bryan Ito.

“This is a great example of a collaboration that benefits our talented tech students and the state’s growing tech industry,” said Lassner.

“It was a great night that once again showcased the many talented students who make Â鶹´«Ã½ proud,” said Ige, who earned an electrical engineering degree from UH in the late 70s.

The teams had a mixture of creative talent and development skills. They created their web, Android or iOS apps from conception to implementation. Each team had three minutes to present their finished mobile app to the panel of judges. The theme this year was entertainment and gaming.

This is a great example of a collaboration that benefits our talented tech students and the state’s growing tech industry.
—David Lassner

sponsors the Hackathon in partnership with the UH and the , a consortium of the . AT&T also sponsors the event and provides the prizes.

, professor and chair of information and computer sciences said participating in a hackathon is a valuable learning tool. “The students are outside their classroom comfort zone and find other people who compliment their skills. A hackathon reflects more of the real work environment and helps with their presentation skills.”

“Our partnership with the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ is part of the effort to encourage interest among our youth in technology,” said Carol Tagayun, AT&T director of external affairs.

UH student and past Hackathon winner Stephani Diep said it’s a lot of fun and a smart career move. “Recruiters notice these things. They say wow, you did a Hackathon, tell me about it,” Diep said. Diep, who graduates in May, has landed a position at Google.

Other key Hackathon partners include , Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s premiere software development boot camp, , and .

is providing enrichment opportunities to train the youngest generation of cybersecurity professionals and teachers through its summer camps. This year, 147 students and 195 teachers participated in GenCyber ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾± high school and middle school camps on °¿Ê»²¹³ó³Ü, Maui County, ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾± Island and °­²¹³Ü²¹Ê»¾± that began on June 5 at .

Participants learned about cyber hygiene, networking, basic forensics and classical and modern cryptographic systems. They also learned about and implemented the stages of a cyber attack and how to control a robotic car using computer code.

This year the °¿Ê»²¹³ó³Ü camp incorporated the similarities between voyaging and cybersecurity such as planning, charting a course into the unknown, observing the environment (e.g., wind, birds, sky), looking for anomalies, contingency planning and anticipating things that cannot be seen.

These skills were put to the test in a grand challenge scavenger hunt that incorporated coded clues that participants had to solve using cybersecurity concepts, tools and skills learned during the week with a wayfinding focus in honor of the homecoming of the ±áÅ�°ìÅ«±ô±ðÊ»²¹ from her World Wide Voyage.

During the closing ceremony, participants and their families heard from National Security Agency Vice Commander Anastasia Borichevsky, and University of ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾± Vice President for Information Technology/CIO on the strategic importance on cultivating cybersecurity professionals in ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±. There was also a mini career fair where parents and students learned more about career opportunities in the cybersecurity industry.

See more images from the GenCyber ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾± camp at Honolulu CC’s Flickr site.

Growing the next generation

The primary purpose of the GenCyber program is to grow the next generation of cybersecurity experts in the state and nation. The goals of GenCyber are to increase interest in cybersecurity careers and diversity in the cybersecurity workforce and to help all students understand correct and safe on-line behavior and improve teaching methods for delivering cybersecurity content for K–12 curricula.

This is GenCyber ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±â€™s third year in existence and is on track to complete 18 teacher camps representing 549 teachers trained and 11 student camps representing 390 students trained across the state. Some GenCyber student completers have gone on to college to pursue computer science and cybersecurity programs, and secured internships in cybersecurity.

The GenCyber program is a vital component of ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±â€™s Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development Strategic plan which directly supports the ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾± of the Strategic Directions of the University of ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±.

The Cybersecurity Education Workforce Development Strategic plan is focused on:

• Promoting a deeper awareness and understanding of cyber threats specific to ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾± and ensuring that students are job ready upon graduation and successful in securing cybersecurity jobs in ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±.
• Developing a clear education and workforce pathway to cyber and cybersecurity professions and the state’s vision of expanding computer science for all in our Department of Education school system for elementary, middle and high school students.
• Increasing the number of high school students who earn college credit in computer science and cybersecurity.
• Increasing professional development opportunities for teachers in computer science and cybersecurity.

—By Billie Lueder

PyNow!, a collaborative effort by , , the (PCATT), , and the will be hosting the first ever in Â鶹´«Ã½ on Saturday, November 7.

“Python is a widely used general-purpose, high-level programming language. Its design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python is commonly used for web development, game development, graphics, software development among many other uses. Data scientists use it for analyzing data, plotting charts and as a general useful tool for understanding patterns and trends,” explains Steven Auerbach, director of PCATT.

Many business and industries use Python—Walt Disney Feature Animation is using Python to add scriptability to their animation production system and NASA’s Johnson Space Center uses Python in its integrated planning system as the standard scripting language for rapid prototyping scientific and numerical programs.

This first of its kind conference is open to beginners who have never programmed before via a beginner tutorial. In addition, there will be a tech talk track for beginners, intermediate and advanced users. In the afternoon, everyone will have a chance to compete in a programming competition with puzzles for all levels of programmers. Mentors will be available to assist throughout the competition.

Event details

The Python Conference and Competition will take place on Saturday, November 7, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. in the Norman W.H. Loui Conference Room at Honolulu CC.

The event is free and open to individuals who are at least 18 years of age at the time of registration.

For more information and to register, visit the .

—By Billie Lueder