How to Introduce Students to Cybersecurity Careers

Cybersecurity is important to businesses on all scales, from minor startups to global companies. However, only 14% of organizations have the “necessary skilled talent” to achieve their cybersecurity goals.

As such, there is a real demand for trained cybersecurity experts across diverse industries. But for K-12 educators, introducing students to a future in cybersecurity may be challenging.

How do you discuss such a complex concept and help students understand its value as a potential career?

Relate Cybersecurity to Popular Culture

When you raise cybersecurity careers, a student’s first response might be: “Is cybersecurity hard to understand?” Honesty is likely the best policy in this regard, but try not to scare them off. Instead, help them realize that grasping the basics of cybersecurity will take time and patience.

One way to make cybersecurity clearer is to explore it in relation to age-appropriate media and entertainment. For example, the video game Cyberpunk 2077 frequently features white-hat hacking. Players can hack into many systems throughout the game, whether to deactivate enemy weapons or extract data.

Discussing cybersecurity in the context of Cyberpunk 2077’s hacking feature may help students understand its value better. But the game has a ‘Mature 17+’ age rating, so make sure you discuss it with senior students only.

Stranger Things has also included hacking, so that may be more suitable for younger students.

Approaching cybersecurity via popular media can make it more engaging and tangible. Otherwise, its complexity could make cybersecurity too dry, alienating, and difficult to consider as a career.

Educate Yourself on Cybersecurity and Its Value

Building knowledge in cybersecurity will put you in an authoritative position. If a student recognizes that you know nothing about cybersecurity, they may wonder why they should trust what you say.

There are plenty of online resources on cybersecurity threats, techniques, and technologies. The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) is a goldmine of information, ideal for educators.

One particularly helpful part of the NICCS website is the Cyber Career Pathways Tool. In the classroom, you can use the interactive tool to discuss the many roles available in the cybersecurity field. The NICCS site also has a list of games and competitions that may boost students’ interest in cybersecurity.

Break Down Cybersecurity Basics

When introducing students to a cybersecurity career, it’s easy to overwhelm younger children. Even seniors who lack technical knowledge are likely to struggle with some of the more complex aspects of cybersecurity.

To make discussions about cybersecurity careers palatable, ease students into the topic. You may start with a conversation about passwords in everyday apps and platforms. Why do we need passwords? What function do they serve?

By answering the above questions, you can help students recognize why passwords are so important in protecting data. Gradually expand into other areas, such as viruses, malware, and security tools. If students can appreciate cybersecurity’s role in their own lives, it may seem more exciting and realistic as a career.

Make Cybersecurity Learning Fun

You can use a range of online resources to make learning about cybersecurity careers fun for students. Allowing students to explore cybersecurity through interactive activities may help them retain information.

One option is the US Cyber Challenge’s (USCC) Cyber Quests. The Cyber Quests are a line of online competitions that present participants with a cybersecurity-related problem to solve. Quests involve analyzing an “artifact,” such as a web server, and answering quiz questions.

Another fun option is the CIAS Game Launcher, which features cybersecurity-focused games. The first, Project Cipher, introduces students in the fourth grade and above to essential cybersecurity principles. The CIAS Game Launcher is a free download for Windows computers.

Using games and other interactive activities will grow students’ cybersecurity knowledge. And as students increase their cybersecurity awareness, they may recognize the potential benefits of being a specialist in the field.

Organize Talks with Local Cybersecurity Specialists

Inviting local cybersecurity professionals for a visit may help students understand how their own careers might look. Finding the right people to explain how cybersecurity as a career works might take time, depending on where you’re based.

Anyone who agrees to do it must understand how to make difficult topics simple enough for students to follow. They should also feel comfortable speaking to a classroom filled with children.

An individual with a background in education and cybersecurity could be ideal. Consider reaching out to a local college or university to see if qualified faculty members would be willing to help.

Cultivating an Interest in Cybersecurity Careers in the Classroom

As cybersecurity continues to be critical to businesses across many industries, the demand for talent will increase. Introducing your students to the possibilities of a cybersecurity career could set them on a path to future success. But it can be a tough process, especially for younger students.

Using games, activities, and other widely available resources will help you deliver impactful learning sessions. Focus on making cybersecurity discussions and lessons engaging and relatable. Help students understand how and why cybersecurity is so important to everyone, not just organizations.