LAKELAND, Fla. - A local tech firm and Florida Polytechnic University are joining forces to train students to protect the STEM institution and businesses from ongoing digital attacks.

What we know:

In the stand-alone center located within the Barnett Applied Research building, paid student interns are gaining real-world experience in identifying and combating digital threats.

"The number of threats we see just in email alone, not including other types, is over 70,000 a month, so that's quite a lot to sift through," said Garrett Poorbaugh, Principal Architect and COO of Sittadel.

The institution has partnered with Lakeland-based cybersecurity company Sittadel to establish the security operations center. The company provides operational and technical support, while Florida Poly of

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