MANCHESTER — Six Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport received certificates of achievement in Homeland Security studies through the agency’s associate degree program during a ceremony held at the airport yesterday.

In all, 21 TSA officers (including employees from Burlington International Airport in Vermont and Portland Jetport in Maine) received certificates.

The six local TSA employees honored were Transportation Security Officer (TSO) Mary Cormier, Lead TSO Samantha Dawson, TSO Anita Day-Hooper, Lead TSO David Haynes, Supervisory TSO Cheryl Sprague and Behavior Detection Officer Colleen Martin.

“TSA has partnered with community colleges to provide TSOs the opportunity to work toward a TSA Homeland Security certificate, or an associate degree in Homeland Security or a related field,” said TSA regional spokesman Ann Davis. “The associate degree program gives the TSA workforce the opportunity to work toward a certificate or degree at or near their home airport.”

In NH, TSA has partnered with NHTI Concord Community College to offer the program.

Davis said 2,500 officers have enrolled in the program across the country. This past spring, classes were available at more than 70 airports and over 60 community colleges in all 50 states, enabling nearly half of all TSA officers to enroll. Davis said that by the fall of 2014, the program will be available at all 91 hub airports across the country.

The course offers three classes: Introduction to Homeland Security, Intelligence Analysis and Security Technology, and Transportation and Border Security. Officers receive a TSA Certificate of Achievement upon completion of the three courses.

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