Cybersecurity is designed to provide an entry into the quickly growing field of cybersecurity. It focuses on building key concepts and exploring the range and scope of the cybersecurity field. The course also looks at best practices, the importance of maintaining a high level of ethical behavior, the provisions and rationale for government regulations and laws, and the consequences of failure to abide by these rules. The course builds on students’ basic knowledge of computers and networks to create a deeper understanding of how computer systems, devices, and other networks are interconnected through secure data networks. This course will continue to help prepare students for industry-level exams.

Career and Technical Student Organizations are integral, co-curricular components of each career and technical education course. These organizations enhance classroom instruction while helping students develop leadership abilities, expand workplace-readiness skills, and access opportunities for personal and professional growth. Students in the Information Technology cluster affiliate with SkillsUSA and/or TSA.

Foundational standards, shown in the table below, are an important part of every course. Through these standards, students learn and apply safety concepts, explore career opportunities and requirements, practice the skills needed to succeed in the workplace, develop leadership qualities and take advantage of the opportunities afforded by Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), and learn and practice essential digital literacy skills. The foundational standards are to be incorporated throughout the course.