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Cybersecurity Class Offered at Bargain Price for a Hot Career

Dec 14

Dec. 14, 2021 - According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the number of data breaches publicly reported so far this year has already exceeded the total for 2020, putting 2021 on track for a record year. Brian Goodman stands in a classroom with computers.

What does that mean? A growing demand for more people trained in cybersecurity.

Richmond Community College is offering a 14-week Cybersecurity Training program at a greatly discounted price to help people afford entering this high demand career field. Cost for the class is only $99. That’s a huge bargain for the two certifications a student will have upon completion of the class.

Cybersecurity instructor Brian Goodman breaks down the cost of these certification exams.

“The CompTIA Network+ exam price is normally $338, and the CompTIA Security+ exam is normally $370,” Goodman said. “Many cybersecurity jobs require obtaining a CompTIA Security+ as a condition of employment.”

The $99 also covers the cost of the Network+ course and the Security+ course, two components of the Cybersecurity Training program. Those two courses alone cost $1,386.

For Derrick Brown of Lumberton, taking the class has been a “fantastic opportunity.” Brown is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He wants to become a threat analyst.

A threat analyst monitors network traffic for abnormal behavior that would indicate a compromise in the network’s security.

“From there, I would pursue those threats, gathering intelligence and other evidence of compromise, and take the steps to contain the threat and remove it from the network,” Brown said.

Brown is nearly finished with the class and is excited to take the exams and receive his certifications.

“I feel like with all the course materials, the labs and the discussions, I’ve been sufficiently prepared to take the certification exams,” Brown said.

In addition to the knowledge and training he has received in the class, Brown is appreciative of having Goodman as an instructor who can give him advice on entering the cybersecurity field and building a career.

Goodman brings vast knowledge and experience to the program after working many years in the private sector. Prior to joining RichmondCC, Goodman held an information technology security leadership role overseeing access management and fraud analytics platforms for a large Fortune 500 company.

“It’s been really nice to have the opportunity to be around someone who has been in that environment and has first-hand experience of going into cybersecurity,” Brown said.

According to Goodman, there are various job roles in cybersecurity.

“In our local market, I’ve seen increased requirements for IT roles, which include cybersecurity certifications and/or experience,” Goodman said. “In addition to the traditional roles, there is increased demand for cybersecurity awareness trainers, network security analysts and information security analysts.”

To join the front lines in battling the growing number of cyber attacks, enroll this January in the Cyber Security Training class at RichmondCC. Students must have a two-year degree or completion of at least 60 credit hours from an accredited institution to take the class.

The class will run Jan. 15 through April 23. It is offered in a hybrid format with online assignments and face-to-face meetings every other Saturday at the Robinette Building in Rockingham. Cost is only $99.

To sign up, call (910) 410-1700. To learn more about this class or other classes starting in 2022, visit Class Schedules.