There is room for you in cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity needs people from every background: students, veterans, career changers, and anyone curious about how things work and how to protect them. You do not need a computer science degree to start. This page lays out free paths, free and low-cost certifications, and ways to find a mentor, plus how to volunteer with Nexus.
Entry points into cybersecurity.
Explore salaries, demand, and career paths on CyberSeek, and see how roles are defined in the NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity.
Security analyst
Watch for and respond to alerts in a security operations center. Great first role for problem solvers.
Governance, risk & compliance
Turn laws and standards into policies and evidence. Ideal for organized communicators, including many veterans.
Digital forensics & incident response
Investigate what happened after an attack and help organizations recover.
Penetration tester
Test systems, with permission, to find weaknesses before attackers do.
Cloud security
Secure Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud environments.
AI security & governance
Help organizations use artificial intelligence (AI) safely. A fast-growing field.
A simple, free plan to get started.
Days 1–30: Foundations
- Free course: Harvard CS50 Introduction to Cybersecurity
- Learn networking basics at Cisco Networking Academy
- Try beginner rooms on TryHackMe
Days 31–60: First credential
- Study for the free-training ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
- Practice weekly on picoCTF challenges
- Take our Nexus quizzes and monthly challenge
Days 61–90: Show your work
- Build a home lab and write about it on GitHub or LinkedIn
- Join a local Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) or Security BSides chapter
- Ask for a mentor (below) and apply for internships or volunteer roles
Credentials that open doors without breaking the bank.
Offers change often; check each provider for current pricing, scholarships, and military or student discounts.
Your service built the right instincts for cybersecurity.
Mission focus, discipline, risk thinking, and experience with classified information translate directly into security careers. Nexus Security Advisors is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, and our founder mentors veterans entering the field.
Start early, learn by playing.
More for kids, teens, and educators on our Learning Hub.
Find a mentor.
A good mentor can save you years. Communities such as VetSec, WiCyS, ISC2 chapters, and local ISSA chapters offer free or low-cost mentoring. You can also ask us directly.
Mentorship requests are answered as availability allows. Please do not send sensitive personal information by email.
Help someone else get started.
Experienced professionals, educators, and veterans can volunteer to mentor, speak at schools and veteran events, review resumes, help run challenges, or contribute free resources to our GitHub toolkits. Servant leadership is at the heart of how we work; volunteering is how we pay it forward.
The sign-up button opens a pre-filled email to [email protected]. Share only what you are comfortable sharing.