Upcoming events

    • 6 Aug 2018
    • 31 Dec 2030
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    Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice and Research: Fall 2018 Special Issue: 3CS Anniversary Special Issue – Five Years of Raising the Capability Maturity Bar

    The launch of the first issue, Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice and Research -  3CS Anniversary Special Issue - Five Years of Raising the Capability Maturity Bar - coincides with the 5th Annual Community College Cyber Summit (3CS). Besides some path-breaking articles from our Innovations in Cybersecurity Education award-winners, most of the special issue is dedicated to listings of the capability-enhancing presentations that have occurred over the past five years at the 3CS.

    Table of Contents

    EXECUTIVE LETTER 

    RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

    Raising the BAR of Cybersecurity Capability Maturity

    PRACTICE PERSPECTIVES

    Meeting Industry Needs for Secure Software Development 

    Have My Smart Lightbulbs Been Weaponized?

    THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES 

    Competency is Not a Three Letter Word 

    3CS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY RESOURCE GUIDE Pathway Section: Fundamentals 

    Pathway Section: Specialty Areas

    RESOURCE GUIDE PRESENTER INDEX

    Click "Register" to request a free copy of the 3CS Anniversary Special Issue. Upon completion of the registration form a download link will be sent to your registered email address.


    • 20 Nov 2020
    • 31 Dec 2030
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    The Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice and Research - NICE Framework Special Issue: Investigating Framework Adoption, Adaptation, or Extension - examines the usefulness, benefits, and challenges associated with the adoption, adaptation, or extension of the NICE Framework in cybersecurity practice, to improve learning, and advance the state of cybersecurity capability maturity.

    Table of Contents

    EXECUTIVE LETTER 

    PRACTICE PERSPECTIVES

    The CYBER security - Competency Health and Maturity Progression

    RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

    Exploring Non-Technical Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)

    Exploring Cognitive Processes to Develop Cybersecurity Defender Proficiency

    TEACHING PERSPECTIVES 

    Wireless Security: Examining the next NICE Framework Iteration 

    RESEARCH NOTE

    Cybersecurity Intelligence: A Novel Information Security Threat Mitigation

    TEACHING NOTE

    Does Cybersecurity Education Focus on the Right Things?

    Click "Register" to request a free copy of the NICE Special Issue. Upon completion of the registration form a download link will be sent to your registered email address.


    • 22 Apr 2021
    • 16 Sep 2033
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    This NSF-funded research project explored the viability of cybersecurity apprenticeships for federal agency pipeline support. During the 18-month effort – which ended in December 2020 – a Working Group of 15 federal, academic, and practitioner experts developed a strong dialog and presence in the apprenticeship space. Aided by close ties to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Working Group on Apprenticeships, the project developed a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the apprenticeship model, and identified key ways to improve the adoption of apprenticeships.

    Primary Audience: Federal Cybersecurity human resources and hiring managers.

    Table of Contents

    1. Introduction to Apprenticeships
    2. What Do Current Apprenticeships Look Like?
    3. Current Apprenticeship Footprint
    4. Possible Barriers to Federal Adoption
    5. Available High-Level Models
    6. Engaging the Hiring Manager
    7. Aligning Academic and OJT Requirements
    8. The Value Proposition
    9. Seeding the Way: Pilot Proposals to Agencies
    10. Recommendations to NSF
    11. National CyberWatch Center Working Group Membership
    12. References
    • 20 Aug 2021
    • 14 Jan 2034
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    The National CyberWatch Innovations in Cybersecurity Education program was launched in the winter of 2016, as part of National CyberWatch’s Awards & Recognition program.

    About the 2017 Innovations in Cybersecurity Education Publication

    The deadline for application submissions was March 15, 2017. Shortly after, a panel of cybersecurity educators and National CyberWatch partners reviewed these submissions, 44 in total (far exceeding previous year's submission totals), and selected 5 for recognition. This reference document was created listing all nominations and the 5 winners.



    • 30 Sep 2021
    • 9:00 AM
    • 30 Sep 2030
    • 11:59 PM
    • Online
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    The National CyberWatch Innovations in Cybersecurity Education program was launched in the winter of 2016, as part of National CyberWatch’s Awards & Recognition program.

    About the 2021 Innovations in Cybersecurity Education Publication

    With the forced transition to online learning across the education spectrum as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to focus on the following theme for this year’s program:


    How can we best contribute to the needs and transformations that might occur for remote/online instruction in the post-COVID-19 world?


    Given the narrow focus of this year’s theme, we are treating this year’s publication as a Special Issue, which combines the top two submissions (as ranked by a panel of judges) with the results of our National Cybersecurity Student Association COVID-19 Perceptions Survey. This year was like no other; so is this year’s Innovations program.

    • 28 Sep 2022
    • 9:00 AM
    • 28 Sep 2032
    • 11:59 PM
    • Online
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    The National CyberWatch Innovations in Cybersecurity Education program was launched in the winter of 2016, as part of National CyberWatch’s Awards & Recognition program.

    One of the major strengths of the National CyberWatch Center is its ability to aggregate and disseminate the capacity and creative experimentation found within our academic and workforce communities.


    The 2022 Innovations in Cybersecurity Education program (now in its 6th year), was built on the premise that our members are some of the best cybersecurity educational innovators, and that through our Center, they can share their innovations, accelerate their adoption, and receive proper recognition for their work. This publication is an example of this capacity and creativity in action.

    All National CyberWatch Center members received the online nomination form via various e-Blasts, the monthly e-Newsletter (NCC Communicator), social media campaigns, and dissemination/outreach via various partners. The deadline for submissions was May 10, 2022. Shortly after, a panel of cybersecurity educators and past Innovations winners reviewed the submissions and selected those for recognition in this publication.

    • 1 Oct 2022
    • 12:00 PM
    • 30 Sep 2024
    • 11:59 PM
    • Online
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    National CyberWatch Center's

    Call for Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshop Proposals

    About

    Designed to develop capabilities that are essential to the effective performance of cybersecurity job roles, as well as helping to grow faculty and program capacity at 2/4-year schools. Proposals accepted on a rolling basis are evaluated in the order received.


    Compensation

    • Grant-supported advance stipend for workshop development
             - $2,500 per workshop upon acceptance of course learning materials
    • Facilitator pay for Workshop delivery  
             - $3,000 to 8,000 per full-day based on percentage of capacity sold
    • Royalties of Workshop content subscriptions after the first year
             - 10% of subscription fees for workshop content license renewals

      Differentiator

      Traditional workshops focus on exposure to new techniques, tools, and instructional materials (i.e., train-the-trainer) by conveying information about a topic. While valuable information is provided, workshop attendees don't usually have sufficient time to develop a deep understanding and to practice application of new knowledge necessary to develop skills. Assessments are often omitted or are limited to a summative test without a detailed review of errors or omissions. Workshop attendee are on their own to address any failed understanding or misapplications after the workshop ends. Consequently, traditional workshop attendees frequently fail to retain knowledge of workshop concepts and techniques or are unable to transfer the new learning to workplace/academic scenarios.

      By contrast, the Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) are designed to develop mastery in skillfully applying techniques, tactics, tools, protocols, or procedures through competency-based instructional designs. These workshops focus on developing deep understanding through continual, formative assessment of knowledge development designed to identify and eradicate misunderstanding and misconception. Furthermore, CSDW participants practice applying the newly-gained knowledge under varying conditions or scenarios to facilitate transfer to the workplace/academic setting. Finally, CSDW attendees receive a year's subscription to a self-paced instructional system to continue their development after the workshop ends. Consequently, CSDWs assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of students, faculty, practitioners, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles.

      CSDWs apply advances in:

      • Formative assessments, which are designed to detail the areas of strengths and weaknesses of the learner, as continually applied, and guide the next learning path
      • Adaptive learning systems, to ensure the achievement of mastery in understanding, applying, and adapting cybersecurity practices
      • Micro-credentialing, to recognize the level of capability maturity exhibited by the workshop participant as Proficient, Competent, or a Master of the new capability

      Workshop Formats
      Ranging from half-, one-, or two-day workshops focused on a single capability, to multi-week virtual offerings.

      CSDW Facilitator Deliverables:

      • Concept Matrix (glossary)
      • Open-sourced or developed instructional materials
      • Open-sourced or developed hands-on exercises (e.g., procedures to be executed)
      • Scenario-based exercises (e.g., the way in which you administer a system depends on the operating system)

      Proposed Workshop Domains

      Like a textbook, a traditional workshop is divided into some number of topics/domains, with domains addressing several defined concepts. In contrast, a CSDW is organized by the responsibilities to be competently performed in the workplace, which is decomposed into the tasks to be executed and the concepts and techniques required to skillfully perform a task.


      Proposals for Workshop domains might include, but are not limited to the following:

      • Analyze network traffic
      • Limit information system access to authorized users and processes
      • Authenticate (or verify) the identities of those users, processes, or devices, as a prerequisite to allowing access to organizational information systems
      • Monitor, control, and protect organizational communications (i.e., information transmitted or received by organizational information systems) at the external boundaries and key internal boundaries of the information systems
      • Update malicious code protection mechanisms when new releases are available

      Example CSDW

      Hands-On Cryptography


      • 1 Jan 2023
      • 1 Sep 2024
      • online
      • 99986
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Recruitment Sign-up Form

      • 1 Jan 2023
      • 30 Sep 2024
      Register

      Student Chapter invoicing for the National Cybersecurity Student Association. If you have any questions, contact us. 

      You can use your credit card or mail a check to; 

      National CyberWatch Center
      Prince George Community College Foundation
      Center for Advanced Technology (CAT), Room 129C
      301 LARGO ROAD
      LARGO, MD 20774


      Gus Hinojosa Jr. 
      Director, National Cybersecurity Student Association
      ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org

      • 13 Feb 2023
      • 2:00 PM
      • 1 Sep 2024
      Register

      Get Introduced to Employers
      Get a Personal Coach
      Get the Skills you need to Succeed

      The National CyberWatch Center and Accenture have partnered to bring you the Cyber Ready Professionals Skills to Succeed Coaching Program. 

      Accenture's Skills to Succeed (S2S) Academy is a free online employability training program developed by Accenture. Created specifically to meet the needs of jobseekers, the Skills to Succeed Academy offers bitesize, interactive online training modules to prepare Learners for the entire journey of choosing the right career, finding a job and succeeding in the workplace.

      The training is interactive, features relatable characters and focuses on teaching people how to do things for themselves, building skills and confidence, and empowering them to take ownership for their career development and job search. Innovative simulations provide a safe environment where jobseekers can practice for real life situations, such as a job interview, instantly seeing the consequences of their decisions.

      The National CyberWatch Center certified ICF coach's, will guide you along your path to success. Watch this video HERE to learn more about the program. . S2S participating students will have the unique opportunity to experience having a personal coach, just like many corporate CEOs that you hear about in the news. Want something life-changing? This is it! 

      You MUST be a member of the National Cybersecurity Student Association and be attending the Talent Fair on March 22nd, 2024 at 6pm EST. In order to be paired with a coach, you must live in the United States at this time. 

      Click HERE to receive program updates. 

      • 2 May 2023
      • 1:00 PM
      • 31 Aug 2024
      • 2:00 PM
      • Online
      Register

      Get the Skills you need to Succeed

      The National CyberWatch Center and Accenture have partnered together to bring you the Cyber Ready Professionals Skills to Succeed Academy. 

      The Skills to Succeed Academy is a free online employability training program developed by Accenture. Created specifically to meet the needs of jobseekers, the Skills to Succeed Academy offers bitesize, interactive online training modules to prepare Learners for the entire journey of choosing the right career, finding a job and succeeding in the workplace.

      The training is interactive, features relatable characters and focuses on teaching people how to do things for themselves, building skills and confidence, and empowering them to take ownership for their career development and job search. Innovative simulations provide a safe environment where jobseekers can practice for real life situations, such as a job interview, instantly seeing the consequences of their decisions.


      • 16 May 2023
      • 30 Sep 2024
      • 957
      Register

      Last Mile Scholarship Application for 3CS Events

      Are you interested in a $500 scholarship to attend a future 2-day, 3CS Cyber Skills Development Workshop (CSDW)? Apply now secure your spot! All 3CS events are ran by the National CyberWatch Center. 

      At this time, the $500 scholarship only applies to Community Colleges students. 


      Gus Hinojosa Jr.
      Director, National Cybersecurity Student Association
      Ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org


      • 23 May 2023
      • 21 Jan 2025
      • online
      • 99990
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      Download the Chapter Bylaws for the National Cybersecurity Student Association. 
      • 23 May 2023
      • 21 Jan 2025
      • online
      • 99984
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Memberships & Chapters Information
      • 24 May 2023
      • 25 May 2033
      • Online
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      Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice & Research

      Diversifying the Cybersecurity Workforce Special Issue

      This special issue, published in April 2023, includes a collection of dialogues, which capture a discussion among stakeholders about dilemmas or previously insurmountable challenges related to diversifying the cybersecurity workforce, cybersecurity skill assessment, development, recruitment, or evaluation.

      CSJ Dialogues may be edited recordings of a focus group session, interviews with subject matter experts, or conversations between practitioners, scholars, or educators exploring the goals, success factors (objectives), and effective practices for successful mitigation or resolution of problems or taking full advantage of opportunities facing the cybersecurity community.

      Click the "Register" button (upper-left) to receive the link to download this  publication.

      • 31 May 2023
      • 31 May 2033
      • Online
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      2022 National CyberWatch Center's Annual Report

      This report highlights the tremendous impact that the CyberWatch Center has on increasing the readiness of workers, students, instructors, and researchers to meet the ever-growing threat to our nation’s security and prosperity. The CyberWatch Center’s many accomplishments would not be possible without the tremendous support and leadership provided by Dr. Corby Hovis, the ATE program director at the National Science Foundation, Dr. Falecia D. Williams, the president of Prince George’s Community College, our world-class program management team, and the hundreds of volunteers and dozens of alliance partners who guide and contribute their time, talent, and financial support of our programs.

      • 14 Jun 2023
      • 12 Feb 2025
      • online
      • 99979
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Inquiry Checklist


      National Cybersecurity Student Association
      chapters@cyberstudents.org 

      • 1 Aug 2023
      • 30 Sep 2030
      • Online
      Register

      Thank you for inquiring about the National Cybersecurity Student Association, student chapters. Please fill out the form and we will get back to you soon. Go to https://www.cyberstudents.org/student-chapter-information/ to learn more about our student chapters. 


      National Cybersecurity Student Association
      Chapter Development Team
      chapters@cyberstudents.org 

      • 2 Aug 2023
      • 30 Mar 2024
      Register
      Sign-up for Updates: 2024 MA3CS 3CS Symposium Spring 2024

      The event is to be determined (TBD). 

      Travel stipends (reimbursement) will be available for student chapter members, then regular student association members. There will be a Job/Talent Fair, cybersecurity competition, presentations, hands-on workshops, vendors and much more.

      Gus Hinojosa Jr.
      Executive Director
      National Cybersecurity Student Association.
      ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org


      • 2 Aug 2023
      • 30 Mar 2024
      Register
      Sign-up for Updates: 2023 Southeast 3CS Symposium Fall 2023

      The event location is to be determined (TBD). Travel stipends (reimbursement) will be available for student chapter members, then regular student association members. There will be a Job/Talent Fair, cybersecurity competition, presentations, hands-on workshops, vendors and much more.

      Gus Hinojosa Jr.
      Executive Director
      National Cybersecurity Student Association.
      ghinojosa@nationalcyberwatch.org


      • 4 Sep 2023
      • 24 Jan 2025
      • online
      • 99998
      Register

      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Technology Use

      • 5 Sep 2023
      • 24 Jan 2025
      • online
      • 99998
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Networking Guide

      • 6 Sep 2023
      • 21 Jan 2025
      • online
      • 99997
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      • 7 Sep 2023
      • 8 May 2025
      • online
      • 99998
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Event Hosting Guide
      • 8 Sep 2023
      • 24 Jan 2025
      • online
      • 99996
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Meetings Guide

      • 14 Sep 2023
      • 12:00 PM
      • 15 Sep 2033
      • Online
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      State of and Trends in Cybersecurity Capability
      Call for Working Papers

      These preliminary research papers explore various aspects of the state of and trends in cybersecurity capability; that is, the level of progressive improvement to perform, or the readiness to perform, critical activities or functions.

      Want to disseminate progress made in grant-funded work, presentations of research findings at conferences, or other systematic investigations? If so, consider publishing working papers of your own.

      Click the Register button in the middle-left of this window to get started.

      • 30 Sep 2023
      • 8 May 2025
      • online
      • 99995
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Overview PowerPoint
      • 30 Dec 2023
      • 24 Jan 2025
      • online
      • 100000
      Register


      • 30 Dec 2023
      • 24 Jan 2025
      • online
      • 99999
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      Download the National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Programs & Resource Links

      • 1 Jan 2024
      • 29 Dec 2024
      • Eastern Time
      Register

      Cybersecurity Skills Journal: Practice and Research

      2024 Call for Peer Reviewers!

      The Cybersecurity Skills Journal (CSJ) is seeking members of the broader cybersecurity stakeholder community --including graduate students, educators, researchers, tech innovators, and practitioners from government and industry-- to join our growing community of peer reviewers. Peer reviewers are essential to publishing research that integrates and expands the methods, processes, and evidence of effective practices for skillful performance of cybersecurity job functions and roles. 

      Our Overview Briefing describes the types of manuscripts we publish and our iterative process. At CSJ, there is not a single, one-time review of an author’s submission. A panel of 10 peer reviewers representing different stakeholder communities and areas of expertise conducts an initial blind review of an author’s idea. If a panel accepts the idea for further development, its members provide collegial and constructive feedback as the author(s) iteratively develop first the structured abstract as detailed in our Author Guidelines, and then the completed manuscript.  

      We periodically conduct a one-hour workshop to help prospective peer reviewers understand our mission and the details of the iterative peer review process before making a commitment to CSJIf you are interested in learning more or becoming a peer reviewer, please click the Register button. We will contact you when we are scheduling the next Peer Reviewer Workshop.

      • 1 Jan 2024
      • 12:00 PM
      • 28 Jan 2025
      • 11:59 PM
      • Various locations
      Register


      The National CyberWatch Center is seeking 2023-24 Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Symposia proposals. Please watch this page for additional announcements of the 3CS regions accepting proposals. You may submit a proposal for a region that is not listed below, and your proposal will be considered an early-bird submission that is eligible for stipends and registration discounts. Each 3CS begins with an invitation-only event for session organizers. The first 3CS session Proposal Development Workshop (PDW) for a 3CS event will be followed by the public event four to six months later.

      COMING SOON
      • 2024 Great Lakes 3CS, Minnesota
      • 2024 Southwest 3CS, Texas

      Proposers of sessions for upcoming regional or national 3CS are encouraged to submit a brief abstract of their session idea. The lead author of an accepted session proposal will receive a $200 participation stipend and a travel stipend of up to $650 for regional 3CS events and up to  $2,100 for the National 3CS based on distance from the workshop venue. 

      The session leader for accepted proposals will be invited to attend a 3CS Session Proposal Development Workshop. Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Symposia (3CS) sessions explore or document innovative ideas, evidence-based practices, and demonstration of techniques and technologies for raising the capability maturity of the cybersecurity workforce.  Please refer to the Call for Session Proposals for further details on the dates, times, and locations.

      Session leaders receive guidance from experienced session presenters and facilitators during a one-day 3CS Session Proposal Development Workshop. Workshop mentors receive a $500 participation stipend and a travel stipend up to $650 for regional events and up to $2,100 for the National 3CS based on distance from the workshop venue. All workshop mentors are recognized as a Fellow of the Cyber Ready G-Force -- the generating force raising cybersecurity capabilities and career readiness.

      OBSERVERS WELCOME: Want to learn how to develop a successful conference, grant, or publication proposal?  If you do not have a session idea ready to present, you can attend the workshop as an observer for only $25.

      SESSION TYPES

      Dialogues (Focus Groups): A Dialogue is an exchange of ideas between experts and stakeholders, facilitated by the session moderator, highlighting different points of view, experiences, and expertise on a problem or area related to cybersecurity practices, including designing, developing, evaluating, learning, teaching, or performing cybersecurity roles and functions. The goal of a Dialogue is to discover common themes and ideas for a future systematic study that will provide evidence related to the opinions expressed by a contributor to the Dialogue. These proposals should discuss specific challenges and persistent problems related to cybersecurity education and issues of raising the capability maturity in the cybersecurity workforce. The proposal for a Dialogue session must include a list of questions the moderator will pose to the attendees.

      Evidence-Based Practices: Refers to methods or interventions that data shows to be effective or ineffective in achieving a specific outcome. The goal is to improve outcomes by using interventions that have been proven to be effective through rigorous research and avoid those that evidence suggests are ineffective, rather than relying on intuition or tradition. Example proposals could include:

      • How the project/program impacts individual competence development or organizational effectiveness.
      • Evidence that teaching or the cybersecurity practices included in a curriculum actually work.
      The Evidence-Based Practice Session proposal should list which of the following types of evidence will be presented:
      • Theory or Essay: Make claims and supporting statements without conducting a study
      • Expert opinion or (selective) qualitative literature review: A narrative listing/evaluation of information (opinion or publication) backing a claim.
      • Case study or uncontrolled observation: A narrative description of evidence to back a claim from a detailed study in one setting.
      • Case comparison or meta-synthesis (systematic review): A narrative synthesis of evidence from multiple settings that backs a claim.
      • Retrospective (cross-sectional) cohort study: One-time measure of others’ opinions using a survey or other observation to obtain correlations.
      • Prospective (longitudinal) cohort study: Repeated measure of others’ opinions using a survey or other observation to obtain correlations.
      • Quasi- or non-randomized experiment: Selectively sampled measure of predictive relationships in a natural setting using statistical controls to obtain direct and indirect effects from a model comparison.
      • Randomized controlled experimental study: Randomly sampled measure of predictive relationships in a controlled experimental setting to obtain difference scores.
      • Meta-analysis: A quantitative synthesis of evidence to produce corrected correlations (p) of predicted relationships.
      • Demonstrations: Technical demonstrations are events or activities where a product, technology, technique, or system is demonstrated to the Symposia attendees. These demonstrations are usually used to showcase the capabilities and features of the technology or technique, and to provide a hands-on experience for the audience.

      Demonstrations: Technical demonstrations are events or activities where a product, technology, technique, or system is demonstrated to the Symposia attendees. These demonstrations are usually used to showcase the capabilities and features of the technology or technique, and to provide a hands-on experience for the audience.

      Talent Fair Booth: Students or transitioning workers who wish to participate in the Talent Fair may submit a rough draft or outline of the materials they would like to present to employers in a Talent Fair booth. During a 3CS Talent Fair, job candidates are provided a trifold poster board where they display artifacts that demonstrate their job readiness. One of these artifacts is the results of the Raise the BAR assessment that the student will complete at the 3CS event. 

      Have questions? Contact us at info@nationalcyberwatch.org.

      • 12 Feb 2024
      • 5 Sep 2024
      Register

      Get Introduced to Employers

      Get a Personal Coach

      Get the Skills you need to Succeed

      The National CyberWatch Center and Accenture have partnered to bring you the Cyber Ready Professionals Skills to Succeed Coaching Program.

      Accenture's Skills to Succeed (S2S) Academy is a free online employability training program developed by Accenture. Created specifically to meet the needs of jobseekers, the Skills to Succeed Academy offers bitesize, interactive online training modules to prepare Learners for the entire journey of choosing the right career, finding a job and succeeding in the workplace.

      The training is interactive, features relatable characters and focuses on teaching people how to do things for themselves, building skills and confidence, and empowering them to take ownership for their career development and job search. Innovative simulations provide a safe environment where jobseekers can practice for real life situations, such as a job interview, instantly seeing the consequences of their decisions.

      The National CyberWatch Center certified ICF coach's, will guide you along your path to success. S2S participating students will have the unique opportunity to experience having a personal coach, just like many corporate CEOs that you hear about in the news. Want something life-changing? This is it!

      Click HERE for the coaching program application.

      This program is ONLY for students who are in North America.

      NCSA Premium 1-yr memberships will receive 1st dibs!

      After you register, you will be sent a link for the webcast recording and PPTX slides. 



      • 19 Feb 2024
      • 30 Sep 2024
      Register

      You will receive a Webcast link of the recording upon completing the form via email.

       

      Raise the BAR Mastery Badge Program: A Formative Credentialing of Cybersecurity Capability Maturity

      Introducing the CyberWatch Microcredentials for Secure Computing:

      Description: This session will review and provide an opportunity to try out formative credentialing assessments that are part of the upcoming CyberWatch Microcredentials for Secure Computing. The BAR acronym stands for Behaviorally Anchored Rating. Much evidence shows that when BAR scales, based on the tasks that must be performed to excel in a career position, are used to evaluate capability maturity, the results are less biased and more accurate predictors of future job performance. The previous Raise the BAR assessments have been used by companies, such as IBM, to identify the most qualified candidates for open positions. This year’s program will also include the Core Concept Readiness Inventories which assess your stock of knowledge in four fundamental domains of information security:

      1) C-I-A Triad

      2) Controls, Threats & Attacks

      3) Cryptography

      4) Security Testing, Engineering, and Operations

      The Information Security Fundamentals Readiness Assessment will provide a proficiency profile and opportunity to earn badges in recognition for demonstration of conceptual understanding of the prerequisite knowledge for a career in information security and readiness to fully benefit from an information security fundamentals course. The Information Security Fundamentals Readiness Assessment is therefore ideal for a student who is in the beginning or middle of their educational program but can be of value to any student who wishes to demonstrate to prospective employers that they possess the knowledge required to apply information security concepts in information technology and networking job roles that are the feeders into cybersecurity specialist jobs. The complete Information Security Readiness Assessment takes about 30 minutes to complete.

      The Core Concept Readiness Inventories will provide a proficiency profile and opportunity to earn badges in recognition for demonstration of conceptual understanding of the core concepts of information security within the four domains listed above. These assessments are most appropriate for students who have completed a course in information security fundamentals. These concepts must be mastered to meet the requirements for jobs in Systems Engineering or an entry-level cybersecurity job as a Cybersecurity Technician or Specialist. Each of the four Core Concept Readiness Assessments will require about 15-30 minutes to fully complete.

      Question(s): Email us at info@nationalcyberwatch.org

      • 22 Mar 2024
      • 5:00 PM
      • 23 Mar 2024
      • 5:00 PM
      • Prince George's Community College, 301 Largo Road, Largo, Maryland
      Register




      2024 Mid-Atlantic 3CS (MA-3CS)

      Five symposia provide the opportunity to learn, experience, and discuss the latest tools, techniques, and technologies for Teaching, Practicing, Demonstrating, and Showcasing Cybersecurity Capabilities.

      Keynote Speakers

      Ron Gula - Gula Tech Adventures | LinkedIn

      Ron Gula

      Founder of Tenable Network Security

      and Gula Tech Adventures


      Husein Sharaf

      Husein Sharaf

      Founder of Cloudforce


      Where: Prince George's Community College, 301 Largo Road, Largo, Maryland.

      WhenMarch 22-23, 2024

      March 22nd: Center for Performing Arts
      • Registration Opens at 2:30 pm in the Center for Performing Arts
      • 4:00-6:15 pm Conference Welcome and Keynote Speakers
      • 6:30-8:30 pm Career Showcase and Cyber Arcade

      March 23rd: Center for Performing Arts

      • 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (MACCDC) in the Black Box Theater - Observers welcome!
      • 6:30-7:30 pm MA3CS Awards Ceremony in the Proscenium Theater

      March 23rd: Center for Advanced Technology

      • 7:30 am Registration Opens
      • 8:30-11:15 am: Morning Sessions
      • 11:15 am - 2:30 pm: Lunch break and Plenary Speakers
      • 2:30-5:15 pm: Afternoon Sessions


      Why Symposia?

      Symposia is the plural form of symposium. 3CS includes a symposium in each of the five areas below.

      • Community College Cyber Summit: Sessions focused on practice improvements in cybersecurity education. Included with General Admission.
      • Cyber Science and Practice Symposium: Sessions focused on evidence-based professional and educational practices – the human factors of cybersecurity. Included with General Admission.
      • Cyber Capability Maturity Symposium: Sessions focused on cybersecurity skill development for IT professionals through hands-on workshops in computer labsAdditional cost to attend.
      • Cyber Technology and Careers Symposium: Exhibit hall with demonstration sessions and a career fair – combining a job fair (employer booths) and a talent fair (job candidate booths). Included with General Admission, but can be purchased separately.
      • Cyber Games, Simulations, and Competition Symposium: Sessions focused on the design, development, and effectiveness of Individual and team-based interactive challenges, some of which can be experienced in the Cyber Ready Arcade, Cyber Ready Gym, the regional final of the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (MACCDC), and the new Mid-Atlantic 2-year College Cyber Defense Competition (MA2CDC). Included with General Admission.

      What Else to Expect at MA-3CS:

      • Awards: Mid-Atlantic NCSA Chapter-of-the-Year, Mid-Atlantic CyberWatch Instructor-of-the-Year, Best Dialogue, Best Demonstration, Best Evidence-Based Practice, Best Skills Development Workshop, and Cyber Arcade Individual and Overall Champions
      • Cyber Ready Arcade: Serious games intended to accurately assess and rank (e.g., chess rating) accomplishment of individual or one-on-one challenges necessary to develop cyber skills
      • Cyber Ready Gym: Practice performing specific tasks to develop your readiness to perform critical cybersecurity tasks
      • Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of practitioners, faculty, students, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles. There is an additional fee for these workshops. Register for general admission to the conference to receive a discount code to attend a CSDW. 
      • Demonstrations: Technology, cybersecurity practice, and teaching tools and techniques
      • Career Fairs: Employer Fair and Talent Fair - a reverse job fair where job-seekers have a booth showcasing their capabilities. If registered by the Early-Bird deadline, every Talent Fair registrant will receive a personalized capability profile and access to preparatory training and coaching at no additional cost. Want to know more? Click the link below to see a news report about a engineering talent fair -- a reverse job fair -- held in Minnesota.
      *What is a Talent Fair?
      • Research: Focus groups and evidence-based practice presentations
      • Sponsorship opportunities > Contact info@nationalcyberwatch.org to discuss multiple event or program sponsorship discounts
      • ...and much more!!

      Who Should Attend?

      • Employers and Hiring Managers who need to recruit, hire, develop, and retain a skilled cybersecurity workforce
      • Educators from K12 schools, Community Colleges, 4-year schools
      • Students looking to jump start their careers
      • Managers of workforce development programs
      • Organizers of community economic development initiatives
      • Developers of innovative products and services that enable developing a skilled workforce
      • Policymakers from local, state, federal, and international government agencies
      Pricing

      Discounts:

      • Early-Bird (closes 30 days before the event): 75%
      • Pre-Registration (closes 10 days before the event): 20%
      • Late Registration (after the event starts): +50%
      • National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Member: 50% discount off the above prices
      • National Cybersecurity Student Association Individual Paid Member: 20% discount off the above prices
      Retail Prices:

      All registrations are non-refundable unless requested by the date that early-bird registrations close

      Stipends Available:
      • National CyberWatch Premium Membership
      • National Cybersecurity Student Association Annual Membership
      • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Membership
      • Program stipends (e.g., Cyber Ready/Skill Up to Scale Up, Cybersecurity Skills Journal, ABET Ambassadors, Curriculum Standards Panels)

      Feel free to reach out with any questions: info@nationalcyberwatch.org
      • 23 Mar 2024
      • 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
      • Prince George's Community College, 301 Largo Road, Largo, MD 20770
      • 30
      Register


      Mid-Atlantic Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Symposium

      Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of students, faculty, practitioners, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles. There is an additional fee for these workshops. 

      Who Should Attend?

      • IT and cyber professionals seeking to upskill their capabilities
      • Educators from K12 schools, Community Colleges, 4-year schools
      • Students looking to expand their skills and enhance their resume

      To register for general admission to the Mid-Atlantic 3CS click here.

      REGISTER NOW

      50% DISCOUNT FOR EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION 

      Pricing

      • $595 half-day
      • $995 full-day 

      All registrations are non-refundable unless requested by the date that early-bird registrations close

      Discounts:
      • Early-Bird (closes 20-days prior): 50%
      • Student Association Chapter and Premium Member Discounts Available
      Travel Stipends Available:
      • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Membership
      • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student  Association Premium Membership
      • Program stipends (e.g., Cyber Ready/Skill Up to Scale Up, Cybersecurity Skills Journal, ABET Ambassadors, Curriculum Standards Panels)

      Please reach out with any questions: info@nationalcyberwatch.org
      • 12 Apr 2024
      • 9:30 AM
      • 13 Apr 2024
      • 6:00 PM
      • Northampton Community College and Penn State Schuylkill
      Register



      2024 Northeast 3CS (NE3CS)

      Five symposia provide the opportunity to learn, experience, and discuss the latest tools, techniques, and technologies for Teaching, Practicing, Demonstrating, and Showcasing Cybersecurity Capabilities.

      Limited to the first 250 registrants!

      Where:


      Northampton Community College, 3835 Green Pond Rd, Bethlehem, PA 18020

      See photos

      Penn State Schuylkill, 200 University Dr, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972

      When: April 12-13, 2024

      Why Symposia?

      Symposia is the plural form of symposium. 3CS includes a symposium in each of the five areas below.

      • Community College Cyber Summit: The granddaddy and foundation of the 3CS program that has welcomed those interested in experiential cybersecurity education for over a decade! Presentation sessions in classrooms with support for hybrid sessions about practice improvements for cybersecurity education Included with General Admission.
      • Cybersecurity Science and Practice Symposium: Poster and classroom presentation sessions with support for hybrid attendance about evidence-based professional and instructional cybersecurity practices -- the human factors of cybersecurity. Included with General Admission.
      • Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Symposium: Cybersecurity skill development workshops on specialized topics not typically taught in higher education courses but required to develop the skills needed to advance in the cybersecurity profession. Additional cost to attend.
      • Cyber Technology and Careers Symposium: Open spaces supporting an exhibit hall with demonstration sessions and a career fair - combining a job fair and a talent fair.  Included with General Admission, but can be purchased separately.
      • Cyber Games, Simulations, and Competition Symposium: Individual and team-based interactive challenges and opportunities for hands-on experience with or observation of demonstrations of skills in the Cyber Ready Arcade, including the new Community College Collegiate Defense Competition (3CDC) Included with General Admission.

      What Else to Expect at MA-3CS:

      • Awards: Mid-Atlantic NCSA Chapter-of-the-Year, Mid-Atlantic CyberWatch Instructor-of-the-Year, Best Dialogue, Best Demonstration, Best Evidence-Based Practice, Best Skills Development Workshop, and Cyber Arcade Individual and Overall Champions
      • Cyber Ready Arcade: Serious games intended to accurately assess and rank (e.g., chess rating) accomplishment of individual or one-on-one challenges necessary to develop cyber skills
      • Cyber Ready Gym: Practice performing specific tasks to develop your readiness to perform critical cybersecurity tasks
      • Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of practitioners, faculty, students, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles. There is an additional fee for these workshops. Register for general admission to the conference to receive a discount code to attend a CSDW. 
      • Demonstrations: Technology, cybersecurity practice, and teaching tools and techniques
      • Career Fairs: Employer Fair and Talent Fair - a reverse job fair where job-seekers have a booth showcasing their capabilities. If registered by the Early-Bird deadline, every Talent Fair registrant will receive a personalized capability profile and access to preparatory training and coaching at no additional cost
      • Research: Focus groups and evidence-based practice presentations
      • Sponsorship opportunities > Contact info@nationalcyberwatch.org to discuss multiple event or program sponsorship discounts
      • ...and much more!!

      Who Should Attend?

      • Employers and Hiring Managers who need to recruit, hire, develop, and retain a skilled cybersecurity workforce
      • Educators from K12 schools, Community Colleges, 4-year schools
      • Students looking to jump start their careers
      • Managers of workforce development programs
      • Organizers of community economic development initiatives
      • Developers of innovative products and services that enable developing a skilled workforce
      • Policymakers from local, state, federal, and international government agencies
      Pricing

      Discounts:

      • Early-Bird (closes 30 days before the event): 75%
      • Pre-Registration (closes 10 days before the event): 20%
      • Late Registration (after the event starts): +50%
      • National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Member: 50% discount off the above prices
      • National Cybersecurity Student Association Individual Paid Member: 20% discount off the above prices
      Retail Prices:

      All registrations are non-refundable unless requested by the date that early-bird registrations close

      Stipends Available:
      • National CyberWatch Premium Membership
      • National Cybersecurity Student Association Annual Membership
      • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Membership
      • Program stipends (e.g., Cyber Ready/Skill Up to Scale Up, Cybersecurity Skills Journal, ABET Ambassadors, Curriculum Standards Panels)

      Feel free to reach out with any questions: info@nationalcyberwatch.org
      • 1 May 2024
      Register

      Sign-up for Updates: 2024 Annual 3CS in Tampa, FL,

      The event is Will be held on May 9-11 in Tampa, FL. More information to come. 

      Travel stipends (reimbursement) will be available for student chapter members, then regular student association members. There will be a Job/Talent Fair, cybersecurity competition, presentations, hands-on workshops, vendors and much more.

      National CyberWatch Centerinfo@nationalcyberwatch.org 

      • 9 May 2024
      • 8:30 AM
      • 11 May 2024
      • 5:30 PM
      • Keiser University, 5002 West Waters Ave. Tampa, FL US 33634
      • 30
      Register


      Southeast Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Symposium

      Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of students, faculty, practitioners, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles. There is an additional fee for these workshops. 

      Who Should Attend?

      • IT and cyber professionals seeking to upskill their capabilities
      • Educators from K12 schools, Community Colleges, 4-year schools
      • Students looking to expand their skills and enhance their resume

      To register for general admission to the Southeast/National 3CS click here.

      REGISTER NOW

      50% DISCOUNT FOR EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION 

      Pricing

      • $595 half-day
      • $995 full-day 

      All registrations are non-refundable unless requested by the date that early-bird registrations close

      Discounts
      • Early-Bird (closes 20-days prior): 50%
      • Student Association Chapter and Premium Member Discounts 
      • National CyberWatch Center Academic Chapter and Premium Member Discounts 
      Travel Stipends Available:
      • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Membership
      • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student  Association Premium Membership
      • Program stipends (e.g., Cyber Ready/Skill Up to Scale Up, Cybersecurity Skills Journal, ABET Ambassadors, Curriculum Standards Panels)

      Please reach out with any questions: info@nationalcyberwatch.org
      • 9 May 2024
      • 9:30 AM
      • 11 May 2024
      • 6:00 PM
      • Keiser University and the University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
      Register



      2024 National 3CS and

      Southeast Regional 3CS (SE3CS)

      Five symposia provide the opportunity to learn, experience, and discuss the latest tools, techniques, and technologies for Teaching, Practicing, Demonstrating, and Showcasing Cybersecurity Capabilities.

      Where:


      University of South Florida

      When: May 9-11, 2024

      Why Symposia?

      Symposia is the plural form of symposium. 3CS includes a symposium in each of the five areas below.

      • Community College Cyber Summit: The granddaddy and foundation of the 3CS program that has welcomed those interested in experiential cybersecurity education for over a decade! Presentation sessions in classrooms with support for hybrid sessions about practice improvements for cybersecurity education Included with General Admission.
      • Cybersecurity Science and Practice Symposium: Poster and classroom presentation sessions with support for hybrid attendance about evidence-based professional and instructional cybersecurity practices -- the human factors of cybersecurity. Included with General Admission.
      • Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Symposium: Cybersecurity skill development workshops on specialized topics not typically taught in higher education courses but required to develop the skills needed to advance in the cybersecurity profession. Additional cost to attend.
      • Cyber Technology and Careers Symposium: Open spaces supporting an exhibit hall with demonstration sessions and a career fair - combining a job fair and a talent fair.  Included with General Admission, but can be purchased separately.
      • Cyber Games, Simulations, and Competition Symposium: Individual and team-based interactive challenges and opportunities for hands-on experience with or observation of demonstrations of skills in the Cyber Ready Arcade, including the new Community College Collegiate Defense Competition (3CDC) Included with General Admission.

      What Else to Expect at MA-3CS:

      • Awards: Mid-Atlantic NCSA Chapter-of-the-Year, Mid-Atlantic CyberWatch Instructor-of-the-Year, Best Dialogue, Best Demonstration, Best Evidence-Based Practice, Best Skills Development Workshop, and Cyber Arcade Individual and Overall Champions
      • Cyber Ready Arcade: Serious games intended to accurately assess and rank (e.g., chess rating) accomplishment of individual or one-on-one challenges necessary to develop cyber skills
      • Cyber Ready Gym: Practice performing specific tasks to develop your readiness to perform critical cybersecurity tasks
      • Cybersecurity Skills Development Workshops (CSDWs) assist in raising the capability maturity and readiness of practitioners, faculty, students, or policymakers to adopt and adapt the latest effective practices for performing cybersecurity functions and roles. There is an additional fee for these workshops. Register for general admission to the conference to receive a discount code to attend a CSDW. 
      • Demonstrations: Technology, cybersecurity practice, and teaching tools and techniques
      • Career Fairs: Employer Fair and Talent Fair - a reverse job fair where job-seekers have a booth showcasing their capabilities. *What is a Talent FairIf registered by the Early-Bird deadline, every Talent Fair registrant will receive a personalized capability profile and access to preparatory training and coaching at no additional cost
      • Research: Focus groups and evidence-based practice presentations
      • Sponsorship opportunities > Contact info@nationalcyberwatch.org to discuss multiple event or program sponsorship discounts
      • ...and much more!!

      Who Should Attend?

      • Employers and Hiring Managers who need to recruit, hire, develop, and retain a skilled cybersecurity workforce
      • Educators from K12 schools, Community Colleges, 4-year schools
      • Students looking to jump start their careers
      • Managers of workforce development programs
      • Organizers of community economic development initiatives
      • Developers of innovative products and services that enable developing a skilled workforce
      • Policymakers from local, state, federal, and international government agencies
      Pricing

      Discounts:

      • Early-Bird (closes 30 days before the event): 75%
      • Pre-Registration (closes 10 days before the event): 20%
      • Late Registration (after the event starts): +50%
      • Student Association Chapter and Premium Member Discounts 
      • National CyberWatch Center Academic Chapter and Premium Member Discounts
      Retail Prices:

      All registrations are non-refundable unless requested by the date that early-bird registrations close

      Stipends Available:
      • National CyberWatch Premium Membership
      • National Cybersecurity Student Association Annual Membership
      • National CyberWatch/National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter Membership
      • Program stipends (e.g., Cyber Ready/Skill Up to Scale Up, Cybersecurity Skills Journal, ABET Ambassadors, Curriculum Standards Panels)

      Feel free to reach out with any questions: info@nationalcyberwatch.org
      • 30 Sep 2024
      • 11:59 PM (CDT)
      • Online
      Register


      Call for Participation in the

      Cybersecurity Capabilities and Careers Symposia (3CS) Committees 


      Includes the Community College Cyber Summit, Cyber-Ready Skills Arcade that include regional and national competitions


      Membership in 3CS Committees are renewed annually in January of eac year

      Over its nine-year history, the Community College Cyber Summit (3CS) has grown nearly every year to become "the signal event for cybersecurity education," as stated by a program director at the National Science Foundation. In the past, we have had to turn away many prospective attendees because the venue capacity was limited. Consequently, to better serve our nation's needs, 3CS will be considerably expanded in 2023 and beyond.

      We are expanding the 3CS program to host regional events throughout the year that will lead up to the next annual conference in Orlando in 2024. Attendance at each regional event is expected to equal or exceed the average attendance at our former annual events (between 300-450 attendees). The national conference venues will now support a much larger attendance of over 1,500 attendees. Each 3CS, regional and national, will combine programs for all stakeholder groups in cybersecurity education under one roof: Secondary and post-secondary education, workforce development, and recruiting and career services.

      3CS is produced by the member institutions of the National CyberWatch Center. A compendium celebrating the first five years of the conference was published in 2018 and is available here if further information about the conference is desired prior to making your decision to participate.

      As a guiding principle, we believe that the leadership of 3CS as a critical national resource demands the involvement of a diverse set of stakeholder groups, including educators, students, administrators, employers, policy-makers, and vendors, especially those from underrepresented populations. We embrace inclusivity by encouraging contributions from any and every cybersecurity community member who wants to have a voice.

      Click the Register Button (upper left-hand side of this page) to Volunteer for a Committee

      3CS succeeds because "it takes a village" to build a conference community. The long history of deep collaboration among NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) projects, centers, host institutions, and the many faculty and student volunteers from across the nation will support extending the 3CS community across the education pathway, from K-12 awareness and interest in a cybersecurity career to successful career exploration and employment of college and university graduates. 

      We will be conducting information sessions with members who register for the 3CS committees to learn of their ideas and interest in becoming a member or leader. We look forward to receiving your registration of interest in joining us to make this and future year's conference the best yet. 

      3CS needs your insights and leadership

      • 31 Dec 2024
      Register

      2024 Partnership, Sponsorship, and Collaborator Program


      The CyberWatch Center mission is to create and commercialize cutting-edge education, information, and training delivery programs, systems, and content that increase the readiness of students and professionals to learn, become certified, and masterly perform cybersecurity functions and roles to produce a more diverse pool of talent with skills needed to protect organizations and improve national security.

      We seek partners, sponsors, and collaborators that seek to close the Readiness Gap

      The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports that just over 62% of students entering postsecondary education can complete their degree in six years. Excluding the most selective universities whose students complete their degree programs at much higher rates than all other institutions of higher learning, the national degree completion rate declines to below 50%. Community colleges fare much worse, with only 28% of students completing a degree within four years. In other words, between one-third and nearly three-quarters of entering students fail to be added to the prospective resource pool. Furthermore, some estimate that only about 20% of those sitting for a professional certification exam are eventually able to pass it. Thus, depending on whose statistics are used, only about 3-12% of entering postsecondary students can expect to be ready to fill cybersecurity jobs upon graduation. If the failure rates in the education system were evaluated using the industry quality metric of Six Sigma, the education process quality would be rated between a -0.38 and 0.33 sigma, likely the worst among major industries.

      Our Partnership, Sponsorship, and Collaborator Program enables organizations to join in this mission by supporting multiple or individual programs to close the readiness gap . 

      • 31 May 2033
      • Online
      Register




      National CyberWatch Center’s Cybersecurity Curriculum Guide: A Complete Solution for Higher Education Institutions v3

      This guide, now in its third iteration, provides a complete curriculum solution for higher education institutions looking to create new cybersecurity programs and courses, and/or update existing ones.

      The Guide is the culmination of input from the National CyberWatch Curriculum Standards Panels, industry partners, labor market demand research, and over 20 years of content development experience.

      In addition to complete degrees and certificate templates, the technical courses have been mapped to effective instructional design practices, cyber range labs, the National Security Agency/Dept. of Homeland Security National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) Knowledge Units (KUs), the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (NIST Special Publication 800-181), and industry competency and capability maturity models.

      DOWNLOAD your copy today !!

      • 31 May 2033
      • Online
      Register


      Working Paper: Mitigating Machine Learning Risks within a Vulnerable SIEM to Prevent Biased SOC Decisions

      In this working paper, authors Landmesser and Vommi explore weaknesses in machine learning systems used by a SIEM that present a technical issue, which can also negatively influence decisions made by SOC personnel. Incorrect ML classifications from APT attacks result in incorrect security decisions based on SIEM output, causing an even more damaging impact on required incident response.

      • 31 May 2033
      • Online
      Register



      Hire Harford First: Designing and evaluating the effectiveness of adapting courses in an Information Assurance and Cybersecurity degree program to a Competency-Based Mastery Learning curriculum

      This Advanced Technological Education (ATE) project, entitled Hire Harford First, sought to “develop curriculum and educational materials that are based on ATE-funded CyberWatch Center's practices, and to disseminate curricula, course materials, and best practices to the ATE and broader educational community, including insights whether competency-based learning produces graduates who are better capable of making immediate positive contributions upon entering the workplace.” HHF was a three-year study in the design, development, and implementation of innovative curriculum designed to foster Competency-Based Mastery Learning (CBML). The results showed “the strong potential to…produce more graduates, since it will reduce attrition, encourage persistence, and attract more participants based on its reputation of success.” When fully-implemented, CBML instructional design and associated instructional methods that “flip the classroom” whereby faculty become success coaches rather than instructors for students produced proficiency improvement, on average, of 1.94 sigma. Additionally, this research revealed important constraints to fully achieving the benefits of CBML instructional designs. 

      • 31 May 2033
      • Online
      Register



      Competence-Based Mastery Learning (CBML): A brief guide to what’s different about it and the effects on students and faculty

      Competency-Based Mastery Learning (CBML) is an evidence-based instructional design method that combines two techniques developed from research conducted by Benjamin Bloom. His research sought to overturn fundamental assumptions of the modern education system which originated in the early 20th century1. The Outcome-Based Education (OBE) model sought to select those worthy of advancement and career employment by conferring a learning outcome—a degree or certificate. OBE replaced an apprenticeship system of education that was not scalable. OBE was designed to make education available to the masses while ensuring efficient utilization of educational institution resources. Bloom believed that this instructional model was failing to meet the needs of most students and employers. The goal of education should not simply be graduation, but instead the development of proficient understanding as a foundation for developing competent performance in career-related learning objectives.

      • 31 May 2033
      • Online
      Register



      Working Paper: The Two-Sigma Solution: Why competency-based mastery learning is more effective in readying students to succeed in college and a career

      In the 21st century, good teachers are being asked to use the supercharged version of a curriculum-driven instructional model that treats [students] as if they were learning on an assembly line. Covering way too much content at an unreasonable rate, with rigid pacing guides that make it impossible to find time to shape instruction to meet the individual needs of students, the system is breaking down. In spite of teaching to the test, our children are not doing better on international comparisons or compared to previous decades.
      -- Bob Sornson (Over-tested and under-prepared, 2015)

      This guide explains why competency-based mastery learning (CBML) is more aligned with student and employer needs. We review how the four main CBML features noted above are disrupting institutions, deepening understanding, and accelerating the development of expertise.

    (c)  National CyberWatch Center
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