Empowering the Future: Building K-12 Cybersecurity Career Pathways

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, cybersecurity professionals play a crucial role in protecting our technology infrastructure. However, there is a growing need to increase awareness and engage young individuals, educators, parents, administrators, and counselors in promoting cybersecurity career paths. This presentation will introduce materials for developing national cybersecurity career pathways and highlight the impact of co-curricular experiences to excite youth about careers in cybersecurity. Additionally, it will introduce free cybersecurity resources for K-12 audience.

Jiri Jirik is an accomplished cybersecurity expert with a wealth of experience spanning over 20 years in both industry and academia. He serves as the Director of Moraine Valley Community College's Education Pathway National Center, where he leads the development, implementation, and instruction of cutting-edge cybersecurity curriculum materials tailored for K-12 students, higher education institutions, and adult learners. His extensive qualifications in the field of cybersecurity include industry-leading certifications including CISSP, CISA, and CASP. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Cyber Defense from Dakota State University, with research interests in cybersecurity education and workforce development.