If you are looking to add additional skills to your cybersecurity toolbelt, then look no further than CISA’s Federal Cyber Defense Skilling Academy (Skilling Academy). The Skilling Academy is a unique opportunity offered to full-time federal employees at no cost to enhance their knowledge and skills in cybersecurity. It is designed for participants at all levels from beginners to advanced. The coursework is mapped to the NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework) and offers federal employees valuable experience to practice new skills in a virtual environment.
Skilling Academy Micro-Courses Are Here!
CISA is thrilled to offer a new addition to the Skilling Academy – micro-courses! This option is perfect for students looking for training that not only enhances their knowledge and skills in cybersecurity, but that can be completed at their own pace throughout the 40- or 80- hour allotted timeframe.
These self-paced, 100% virtual trainings are offered at no cost and are designed to equip students with foundational and specialized cybersecurity skills. Each course emphasizes practical training to ensure that participants gain real-world experience in protecting and defending against cyber threats. Through this targeted training, participants will learn introductory skills to help prepare them to take on essential cybersecurity roles, enhancing the security and resilience of the nation’s infrastructure.
See below for the FY25 micro-course schedule:
FY25 Micro-Course Dates
| Micro-course Title & Session Number | Length | Course Start & End Date | Application Close Date* |
| Intro to Incident Response – Session 3 | 1 week | 5/19/2025 – 5/23/2025 | 5/2/2025 |
| Intro to Incident Detect/Response/Handling – Session 2 | 2 weeks | 6/2/2025 – 6/13/2025 | 5/16/2025 |
| IT Fundamentals – Session 3 | 2 weeks | 6/2/2025 – 6/13/2025 | 5/16/2025 |
| Intro to Pen-Testing – Session 3 | 1 week | 6/23/2025 – 6/27/2025 | 6/6/2025 |
| Intro to Forensic Analysis – Session 3 | 2 weeks | 7/14/2025 – 7/25/2025 | 6/27/2025 |
| Basics of Threat Analysis – Session 3 | 2 weeks | 7/28/2025 – 8/8/2025 | 7/11/2025 |
| Intro to Incident Detect/Response/Handling – Session 3 | 2 weeks | 8/18/2025 – 8/29/2025 | 8/1/2025 |
*Please note, Skilling Academy Micro-Course offerings do not include any third-party certification vouchers for participants to sit for a certification exam.
Pathways are Back with New Topics!
The pathways are the longer of the two training options and are an intense, full-time, one to three-month accelerated training program. Pathway students are provided with valuable opportunities to practice cybersecurity skills in lab environments, which are led live, by an online instructor. Students will be required to attend Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET for the entire duration of the course (excluding federal holidays and predetermined session breaks). Students will not be able to maintain their alternative work schedule during the session.
See below for the FY25 pathways course schedule:
FY25 Pathway Dates
| Pathway Title & Session Number | Length | Course Start & End Date | Application Close Date* |
| Infrastructure Support – Session 2 | 4 weeks | 6/2/2025 – 6/27/2025 | 5/16/2025 |
| AI/ML Pathway – Session 2 | 4 weeks | 6/2/2025 – 6/27/2025 | 5/16/2025 |
| Systems Security Analysis – Session 2 | 4 weeks | 6/23/2025 – 7/18/2025 | 6/6/2025 |
| Defensive Cybersecurity – Session 2 | 12 weeks | 6/23/2025 – 9/26/2025 | 6/6/2025 |
| Incident Response – Session 2 | 4 weeks | 7/14/2025 – 8/8/2025 | 6/27/2025 |
| Digital Forensics – Session 2 | 4 weeks | 8/4/2025 – 8/29/2025 | 7/18/2025 |
| Vulnerability Analysis – Session 2 | 4 weeks | 8/4/2025 – 8/29/2025 | 7/18/2025 |
| AI/ML Pathway – Session 3 | 4 weeks | 8/25/2025 – 9/19/2025 | 8/8/2025 |
Eligibility Requirements and How to Apply
Eligibility: All full-time federal employees, in any job series and any grade or grade equivalent for non-General Schedule (GS) employees, are eligible to apply to CISA's Federal Cyber Defense Skilling Academy. Government contractors are not permitted to participate.
Participation in the Skilling Academy is prioritized for individuals from Departments and Agencies within the Federal Civilian Executive Branch. Applications from other federal government entities are welcome and will be considered based on course availability and program requirements. Please speak with your supervisor before applying to ensure that you can fulfill the Skilling Academy’s attendance requirements.
How to Apply: Interested applicants must submit a completed Supervisor and Applicant Agreement form to SkillingAcademy@mail.cisa.dhs.gov. The form must be electronically signed using a digital certificate (i.e., PIV or CAC).
For any additional questions, please contact us at