program overview

As the nation faces a growing shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals, the National Cybersecurity Center empowers a diverse workforce through programs and partnerships that inspire students to learn, explore, and build critical skills in a supportive and dynamic ecosystem.

Registration for January 2025 Security + Network + Classes Now open

Cyber Force Initiative - Adult Education

The Cyber Force Initiative is NCC’s training and certification program. It prepares students for a career in cybersecurity by offering training courses that lead to industry-level CompTIA Certifications including IT Fundamentals, Network+, and Security+. All courses are instructor-led and can be completed through in-person instruction or online streaming.

$866,000 in Student Scholarships

65 Internships

581 Certificates

Prepare for Your CompTIA Security+ or Network+ Certification with the NCC

January 13 – May 12, 2025 

The National Cybersecurity Center offers comprehensive cybersecurity courses designed to equip students with essential skills and certifications recognized by industry leaders.

Through a blend of Testout’s immersive online training and simulated labs, and CompTIA’s rigorous curriculum, students can prepare for certifications like Security+ and Network Pro, both highly valued in the cybersecurity field.

These 18-week courses cover critical topics such as network security, risk management, cloud technologies, and more, giving students the hands-on experience needed to succeed in real-world cyber scenarios.

Take your cybersecurity or network skills to the next level. Both courses offer expert instruction, hands-on learning, and shared access to industry-leading guest speakers.

Security+ equips students with essential cybersecurity skills, including threat management, cryptography, and incident response. Designed for those pursuing the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) certification, this course prepares students for roles such as IT security professionals and network administrators. Learn how to secure enterprise environments, implement layered security, and protect both wired and wireless networks. The course covers the latest cybersecurity trends, including zero trust, IoT, and automation. Security+ certification is ISO 17024-compliant, DoD-approved, and recognized industry-wide.

Start Date: January 13, 2025

Meeting Frequency: Twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays

Meeting Format: Zoom

Price: $1,580

DOWNLOAD SCHEDULE & CURRICULUM

Network+ provides in-depth training in network design, configuration, troubleshooting, and infrastructure. Ideal for those pursuing the CompTIA Network+ certification, this course helps students develop the core skills needed for roles like network administrators and technical support specialists. Learn to support and secure networks across any environment while gaining hands-on experience in key networking concepts. CompTIA Network+ is DoD-approved and widely recognized for validating essential networking skills to advance your career in IT.

Start Date: January 13, 2025

Meeting Frequency: Twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays

Meeting Format: Zoom

Price: $1,275

DOWNLOA SCHEDULE & CURRICULUM

Guest Speakers

Hands-on Learning

Both courses offer practical, hands-on experience. Participants will:

  • Engage with Hack the Box activities, gaining real-world experience in cybersecurity and network defense.
  • Work in virtual environments, using simulators to test their skills in a controlled, risk-free space.
  • Participate in labs designed to reinforce the technical knowledge and practical skills needed for both the Security+ and Network Pro exams.

When you complete the Network Pro or Security+ course with NCC, you unlock more than just a certification—you gain exclusive access to our Graduate Success Pack, a powerful set of tools and resources designed to help you excel in your cybersecurity career. 

Graduate Success Pack

Mock Interviews with Industry Leadership

Preparation is key to success. That’s why we offer a mock interview with a cybersecurity industry leader directly involved in the hiring process. This isn't just another generic interview—it’s an opportunity to practice real-world interview scenarios with someone who knows exactly what hiring managers want. You’ll gain invaluable insights and feedback, helping you to confidently tackle your next interview and land the job you deserve.

Resume Workshop

Stand out in a competitive job market with a professional-grade resume. You will receive personalized guidance on how to craft a compelling resume that showcases your skills, certifications, and experience. This workshop is designed to help you land interviews by highlighting the attributes that employers in cybersecurity look for.

NCC Gradute SWAG Bag

Celebrate your achievement in style with a NCC Branded SWAG Bag, which includes either a custom backpack or laptop case, perfect for your on-the-go tech lifestyle. Additionally, you'll receive a cyber hygiene pack to reinforce the skills and best practices learned throughout your course. Stay protected, stay prepared, and show off your NCC pride!

K-12 Student Alliance

The Student Alliance is an initiative geared toward middle and high school students, offering opportunities to improve technical literacy through fun, interactive, and challenging camps, field trips, workshops, and events.

Sign-up to join the student alliance. Get updates about capture the flag competitions, upcoming guest speakers, field trip opportunities, and more!

JOIN US IN-PERSON OR ONLINE – NOVEMBER 2024

A cybersecurity Capture the Flag (CTF) event is a competitive hacking event or exercise designed to challenge the participants’ problem-solving, coding, and cybersecurity skills. These events are often styled as games or competitions and can be held online or in person. Virtual participation available!

Click the image for more information!

Cyber Camps

June 2-6 Intro to Cybersecurity Lv.1

June 9-13 Intro to Cybersecurity Lv.1 (all Spanish/todo en Español)

June 23-27 Cyber Patriot Standard Level

June 30-July 4 Advanced Cybersecurity Lv.2

July 7-11 UCCS Advanced Cybersecurity Lv. 2

July 14-18 Advanced Cybersecurity Lv.2 (all Spanish/todo en Español)

July 21-25 Cyber Patriot Advanced Level

July 28-August 1 Cybersecurity Teach the Teacher

Want to explore cybersecurity concepts? Looking to learn more about cybersecurity and didn’t know where to start?

Students will master the basics of cybersecurity in a week-long camp that emphasizes hands-on learning and teaches cybersecurity from the ground up. Students will play cyber games, learn cyber concepts, and hear from community leaders in cybersecurity about their diverse careers and experiences in cyber with a new guest speaker each day.

Standard CyberCamp attendees do not need to have any prior knowledge of cybersecurity to participate. Some very basic knowledge of computer hardware (knowing how to use a mouse, browse the internet, identify common computer icons, etc.) is helpful but not necessary. 

The Standard camps are designed for novice students with little or no experience with CyberPatriot, cybersecurity, and system administration. The curriculum is a basic-level introduction to the skills and topics utilized in the CyberPatriot Competition.   

  • Age groups are middle and high school 

  • There are no prerequisites (see above) 

  • Skill levels (see above) 

Standard camps are designed to teach beginner students the basics of cybersecurity. No prior cybersecurity knowledge is required for participants. The following is an outline of the curriculum for the Standard CyberCamp. 

  • Monday: Introduction to the CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, introduction to cybersecurity & careers, cyber ethics, online safety, how computers work, virtual machines, and cyber threats. 

  • Tuesday: Cybersecurity principles, basic Windows security policies and tools, account management, windows file protections, and auditing and monitoring. Students will follow along and work with the Windows 10 demonstration image. 

  • Wednesday: Introduction to Linux, Ubuntu 18 terminology and concepts, basic GUI security, and intro to CLI. Students will follow along and work with the Ubuntu 18 demonstration image.  

  • Thursday: Basic command line security and intermediate Ubuntu security. Students will follow along and work with the Ubuntu 18 demonstration image.  

  • Friday - CyberPatriot competition day. Students will compete against their fellow campers on Windows 10 and Ubuntu 18 competition images.  

Advanced CyberCamp attendees must possess some prior knowledge. Most of the Advanced curriculum builds on material covered by our Standard camp and also draws from the activities/tasks in the CyberPatriot competition. Prior exposure to CyberPatriot or similar skill levels are recommended.

The Advanced Camps are ideal for students who have previously attended an AFA CyberCamp or who have competed in the CyberPatriot Competition. Advanced camps are designed to build upon and expand the cybersecurity skills previously learned through CyberPatriot programs.

A basic English reading level is essential for both as many individual and group activities are written directives and students must work alone or within small groups to accomplish tasks.

Age groups are middle and high school

The Advanced Camp curriculum is designed to allow instructors to pick and choose which areas of interests their students might best learn from. There is more information made available than will fit in a four-hour camp day — instructors have the option to pick the topics which are best suited for their session. Friday must be reserved for the CyberPatriot competition 

  • Windows 10 Module – Windows Graphical Utilities, Windows Command Line, optional Sysinternals Suite.
  • Ubuntu 18 Module – Init Systems, Advanced Command Line, Processes and Scheduled Tasks, optional Security Policies and PAM, optional Networking.
  • Cisco NetAcad – Networking Modules 1-3.

Sample Schedule:

  • Monday - Cyber Ethics Module, Windows 10 Module
  • Tuesday - Windows 10 Module, Ubuntu 18
  • Wednesday - Ubuntu 18 Module
  • Thursday - Cisco Networking Modules 1-3
  • Friday - CyberPatriot competition day.

Teams of students compete against each other on advanced Windows 10 and Ubuntu 18 images.

Cyber Patriot

As a Cyber Patriot Center of Excellence, NCC hosts both standard and advanced level camps each summer. Cyber Patriot is a program by the Air & Space Forces Association to inspire K-12 students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future. At the core of the program is the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, the nation’s largest cyber defense competition that puts high school and middle school students in charge of securing virtual networks.

ADULT EDUCATION - Student Spotlight

V.B. Rankin

“Good Knight Cyberella” by V.B. Rankin creatively blends classic fairytales with modern cybersecurity concepts, tailored for young audiences. The play features Good Knight, a princess in armor made of recycled computer parts, and other characters like Rapunzel with 5G internet and Cyberella, who faces FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).

The story opens with Good Knight helping Rapunzel, whose tower is flooding due to a drain clogged by her hair. Alongside are characters such as the three little pigs—Packet, Stateful, and Proxy—who build firewalls to combat cybersecurity threats represented by Bitcoin Diamond Miners (Block, Chain, and Banksy), who symbolize malware, viruses, and cyberattacks.

The play is rich with themes of self-reliance and problem-solving, showcasing characters like Snow White and Red addressing modern challenges like phishing and identity theft. It humorously emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity measures like multi-factor authentication and strong passwords.

In its conclusion, the characters attend a grand ball, facing cybersecurity threats personified in a light-hearted, educational manner, ultimately learning to implement effective security measures.

“Good Knight Cyberella” is an educational, entertaining play that teaches young audiences about cybersecurity through fairytales, promoting empowerment and responsible technology use.

NCC CyberMinute Videos

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