Cybersecurity Career Pathway – Full Program Overview

The Cybersecurity Career Pathway is a comprehensive, beginner-friendly program that guides students through every essential skill needed to launch a career in cybersecurity. This all-in-one course integrates nine previously separate courses into one streamlined, cohesive learning path. Students progress step-by-step from foundational knowledge to technical skills, hands-on labs, security analysis, automation, and job readiness.

This program provides a clear learning roadmap for students with no prior experience. Learners build both the theoretical understanding and practical competencies used daily by modern cybersecurity professionals. Throughout the program, students complete hands-on labs, security scenarios, guided exercises, and use industry-aligned tools that develop true job-ready skills.

Students will explore the full spectrum of cybersecurity topics, including:

• Foundational cybersecurity principles, frameworks, and terminology

• Security risks, controls, governance, and compliance

• Assets, threats, vulnerabilities, and attacker techniques

• Network architecture, protocols, monitoring, and defense

• Linux fundamentals, command-line skills, and SQL for investigation

• Security detection, monitoring, and incident response

• Automation of security tasks using Python

• Professional preparation, portfolio building, and AI-powered job search strategies

By engaging in real-world tasks—such as analyzing logs, managing Linux systems, identifying vulnerabilities, investigating alerts, automating workflows, and developing response plans—students gain hands-on experience that mirrors the responsibilities of entry-level security analysts.

Program Structure: Courses 1–9

Course 1: Foundations of Cybersecurity

Introduces the essential concepts, terminology, and core principles that cybersecurity professionals must understand. Students learn how systems, networks, and data are protected from threats and develop a strong base for the rest of the program.

Course 2: Play It Safe – Manage Security Risks

Covers how to identify, assess, and reduce risk within an organization. Students work with security controls, governance frameworks, and best practices for keeping systems and information safe.

Course 3: Connect and Protect – Networks and Network Security

Teaches how networks operate and how to secure them. Students explore network architecture, protocols, firewalls, and common attack techniques used against networked systems.

Course 4: Tools of the Trade – Linux and SQL

Provides hands-on experience with two essential cybersecurity tools. Students build command-line proficiency in Linux and learn how to use SQL to investigate data and support security operations.

Course 5: Assets, Threats & Vulnerabilities

Focuses on how attackers discover and exploit weaknesses. Students learn to identify assets, analyze threats, classify vulnerabilities, and understand attacker behaviors.

Course 6: Sound the Alarm – Detection and Response

Prepares students for real SOC (Security Operations Center) tasks. Learners analyze logs, investigate alerts, differentiate between benign and malicious behavior, and practice incident response strategies.

Course 7: Automate Cybersecurity Tasks with Python

Shows how Python can automate security workflows. Students write scripts that analyze data, detect anomalies, automate repetitive tasks, and increase efficiency in security operations.

Course 8: Put It to Work – Prepare for Cybersecurity Jobs

Helps students translate their technical skills into job opportunities. This course includes resume preparation, portfolio-building, interview practice, and insights into typical entry-level cybersecurity roles.

Course 9: Accelerate Your Job Search with AI

Teaches students to leverage AI tools to enhance resumes, generate projects, prepare for interviews, and streamline the job search process. Students learn how to use AI effectively and ethically in their professional development.

By the end of the full program, students will be able to:

• Understand and apply foundational cybersecurity concepts

• Assess and manage security risks to protect organizational assets

• Identify threats and vulnerabilities and understand how attackers exploit systems

• Configure and secure networks and apply network defense techniques

• Use Linux and SQL to investigate systems and support security operations

• Detect and respond to security incidents using real-world SOC workflows

• Automate cybersecurity tasks with Python

• Build job-ready portfolios, resumes, and projects with the help of AI tools