The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) website is a powerful resource for college professors to use to help students navigate the sometimes-overwhelming world of cybersecurity studies. Professor Patrick Aiken of Columbus State University uses the resources on NICCS to support his students. Check out his story below and learn from him and some of his class members about how NICCS can help students with their studies and launch careers in cybersecurity.
When he retired from a career in the Information Technology industry and began work at his alma mater Columbus State University as a professor and director of the school’s TSYS Center for Cybersecurity, Professor Aiken quickly realized that a lot of students were interested in cybersecurity but did not always have the technical knowledge or experience to get started on a cybersecurity career path. He applied these findings to his work with the TSYS Center for Cybersecurity’s Cybersecurity Nexus Program, an immersive one-year program to provide the education and training necessary for students interested in pursuing cybersecurity. The program spans two semesters and one summer, and includes intensive courses, sessions with working professionals from the cybersecurity field, and an internship.
One of the first activities Professor Aiken conducts with his students in class is to review the interactive version of the Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework) on NICCS. He displays the NICE Framework in front of his class and goes through each of the Work Roles while talking to the students candidly about the Task, Knowledge, and Skill (TKS) statements listed for each role. He provides real-world examples and applications of these areas for the students, and then assigns them a project to go through the roles on their own and research the multitude of career paths they can take.
“The NICCS website and the interactive NICE Framework are eye opening for my students, especially for those just beginning their journeys,” said Professor Aiken. “It allows them to learn about potential Work Roles and understand tangible career opportunities at a time where they don’t know a lot about cybersecurity work.”
Professor Aiken’s students agree that the interactive NICE Framework and other resources on NICCS like the Cyber Career Pathways Tool are pivotal to supporting their cybersecurity studies. Some of the things they like best about NICCS include:
- Learning about unique careers they did not realize were possible in cybersecurity until they explored the NICE Framework on NICCS.
- Looking at TKS statements to fill in where they need more studying, training, certifications, or work experience on their resumes.
- Watching workforce videos to learn more about what careers in cybersecurity look like in the real-world.
- Using details from the NICE Framework to update their cover letters and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the requirements of open positions they are applying for on recruiting sites.
When students complete the Cybersecurity Nexus Program, they will have passed exams, received 30 hours of college credits, and gained at least four cybersecurity certifications. In addition, they will have gained valuable experience through completing mock interviews with cybersecurity professionals, receiving hands-on training, participating in networking and collaboration opportunities. Moreover, they will have the foundational understanding of what career options are available to them, what paths they want to take, and what they need to achieve their goals. This is all based on the information they have learned in the program and the time they have spent exploring NICCS and its resources like the NICE Framework and Cyber Career Pathways tool.
Explore NICCS and these resources today. If you have any questions about this story or how to get started on NICCS, please email us NICCS@mail.cisa.dhs.gov.