Creating Pathways: Best Practices for Cybersecurity Awareness in Schools

By: Kathrine Dela

As the digital age evolves, the need for a skilled cybersecurity workforce is greater than ever. “Teachers are a powerful force in building out these skills across the future workforce,” says Ignited CEO, Emily Dilger. “The need to be cyber aware is everywhere—across industries, careers, and personal lives. If we can make cybersecurity accessible to more teachers and more students, we’ll have a better-prepared society.”

Ignited’s ONR Cybersecurity Career Awareness project, launched in fall 2021, addresses the challenge of aligning what employers need with what schools can provide. By empowering educators and fostering partnerships with industry, the project highlights pathways to cybersecurity careers while ensuring education keeps pace with the evolving demands of the workforce. Focused on reaching underserved schools, the project emphasizes curriculum development, teacher training, and an educator learning community, impacting more than 100 teachers directly to date, and approximately 150 students per teacher.

This article outlines best practices for school and district leadership on cultivating cybersecurity career awareness through flexible, adaptable strategies. These key takeaways offer a framework that others in this space can use to learn from and implement similar efforts. 

Best Practices for Cultivating an Effective Ecosystem

1. Align with Multiple Nonprofits

Partnering with nonprofits enhances the effectiveness of cybersecurity career awareness programs by offering diverse learning options. For instance, collaborations between education nonprofits Science from Scientists (SciSci), the Krause Center for Innovation (KCI), and Ignited focused on different aspects of teacher and student engagement to maximize impact. KCI offered traditional teacher development, Ignited gave teachers hands-on experiences, and SciSci focused on reaching students directly through in-classroom coaching. The addition of Resource Area for Teachers (RAFT) during the final year of the project to provide cybersecurity activity kits showcased the program’s adaptability to evolving needs. These partnerships demonstrate the value of diverse, collaborative approaches that tap into each partner’s strengths, allowing each teachers to engage in ways that resonate with them, ultimately amplifying the collective impact. 

2. Engage with Professionals

Direct engagement with industry professionals is essential for effective cybersecurity education. Such interactions provide teachers and students with invaluable insights into real-world applications and career opportunities. For example, involving professionals from various sectors—such as the military, academia, and private industry—provides students with a broad perspective on the diverse career opportunities within cybersecurity. The flexibility to incorporate different viewpoints and expertise enriches the learning experience and helps students visualize various career trajectories. 

3. Listen to Teachers

Meeting teachers where they are and showing how cybersecurity connects to core subjects is key to effective education. Ignited’s collaborative approach to curriculum design brought together educators from different subject areas to develop adaptable lessons that can be implemented across disciplines. The project’s flexibility also allows it to leverage existing programs that teachers are already drawn to, such as those focused on sustainability or semiconductors. Continually assessing teacher feedback ensures the program stays aligned with the evolving needs of both educators and students, making it more engaging and relevant.

Conclusion: Transferability and Takeaways

The ONR Cybersecurity Career Awareness project demonstrates that building partnerships, engaging with professionals, and adapting to teacher needs can create a sustainable impact on cybersecurity education. The best practices outlined here are transferable to other nonprofits and educational initiatives, providing a roadmap for those seeking to replicate similar success. By sharing these insights, we aim to help others foster collaboration between educators, industry, and communities to build a more cyber-aware workforce and ensure students are prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.