Newest Student Career Pathway: Cyber Security

MOUNT VERNON – The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department is now offering a cyber security pathway for students, giving them the opportunity to become tech experts and IT professionals by the time they graduate high school. Students can sign up for the course, taught by Juliano Alves De Souza, and take advantage of this innovative learning opportunity until September 19.

The newest pathway in the CTE department offers three courses, each of which students can earn college credit for completing. These classes include IT Essentials, Network Routing and Switching and Cyber Security.

“The world of technology is changing in ways that are revolutionary with Cyber Security and AI,” said CTE Director Brian Simmons. “This exciting new hands-on program is designed to give CTE students a competitive edge with robust post-secondary options and incredible earning potentials in a fun and engaging environment!”

This comprehensive program blends IT technician training with foundational and advanced cyber-security skills to prepare students for success in post-secondary education and high-demand technology careers.

Through engaging hands-on learning labs, simulation activities, and virtual learning tools, students build practical experience, gaining the future-ready skills needed for both college advancement and high-paying careers in today’s evolving tech landscape.

The salary range for a career in cyber security can start from $50,000 to $150,000 a year.
In their lesson earlier in the week, students learned about the case of a desktop computer, which houses the internal components such as the power supply and motherboard.

They were tasked with researching different motherboard models and what components are used for the computers they use in class. Throughout the lesson, students were able to get hands-on-experience interacting with the different parts of the computer.

“For the class, I want to learn about the PC,” said Junyu Feng, a sophomore at MVHS. “I already know how to build a computer, but not as much as I would like.”

The curriculum also prepares students for the industry-recognized CompTIA A+ certification. As a certified Cisco Academy, students receive hands-on training in Cisco systems, including network routing, switching, and infrastructure management.