program overview
As our nation confronts the critical gap in skilled cybersecurity talent, NCC empowers a diverse workforce by offering programs and partnerships that invite students to engage in an ecosystem fostering learning, exploration, and skill-building.
Cyber Force Initiative
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.
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Cyber Course Descriptions
Registration for Fall 2024 cyber educations courses coming soon!
IT FUNDAMENTALS PRO is designed to provide students with a solid foundation of IT Skills and Knowledge. Through engaging lessons and hands-on learning students will be able to learn hundreds of essential concepts in computer software, hardware, programming, databases, cybersecurity, networking, information systems, and much more. You can learn more about the course specifics here. This course prepares you for the TestOut IT Fundamentals Pro Certification and the CompTIA IT Fundamentals (FCO-U61) exam.
SECURITY PRO is designed to prepare students to perform tasks commonly performed by IT security professionals such as network and systems administrators and IT security specialists. In this course you will learn how to implement layered security through group policy objects, access control lists, wireless and wired local area network security measures, and workstation and mobile device security measures. You can learn more about the course specifics here This course prepares you for the TestOut Security Pro Certification and the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-601) exam.
Network+ validates the core skills necessary to establish, maintain, troubleshoot and secure networks in any environment, preparing you for a rewarding career in networking and cybersecurity.
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.
Cyber Camps
June 10-14 Cybersecurity Intro Camp @ UCCS (co-hosted by NCC)
June 24-28 Cybersecurity Intro Camp @ UCCS (co-hosted by NCC)
June 24-28 Civil Air Patrol Camp (FULL)
July 8-12 Colorado-wide Cyber Patriot Standard Level Class
July 15-19 Colorado-wide Cyber Patriot Advanced Level Class
July 22-26 UCCS Gen Cyber Camp (sign up here)
July 29th- Aug 2 Spanish Language Cyber Camp
Want to explore cybersecurity concepts? Looking to learn more about cybersecurity and didn’t know where to start? UCCS and NCC are hosting 2 Summer Intro to Cybersecurity Camps in June.
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.
DATE: Monday – Friday each week, either June 10 – 14th or June 24 – 28th, 2024
TIME: 9:00am – 3:30pm MT each day
LOCATION: UCCS Kevin W. O’Neil Cybersecurity Education & Research Center – 3650 N Nevada Ave.
MORE DETAILS – Apply Now! Summer 2024 Middle School Camp Website
Note: both camp weeks are the same. You will be asked to choose which camp week you are applying for.
These camps fill up fast, so Apply Now! Those who are chosen for this camp will be notified in mid-May. At that time, you will be asked to register and pay a $25 non-refundable registration fee. As always, reach out with any questions! cyber@uccs.edu Or Apply NOW! We are looking forward to June – hope you can join us!
Best,
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs Cybersecurity Team & The National Cybersecurity Center (NCC)
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.
Camps are $25/student
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.
- Camps are $25/Student
- Age groups are middle and high school
- There are no prerequisites (see above)
- Skill levels (see above)
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.
NATIONAL & STATE RESOURCES
CYBER PATRIOT RESOURCES
COLORADO / CTE RESOURCES
Student RESOURCES
NCC CyberMinute Videos