WATERLOO –This fall, Waterloo Career Center students have been able to take advantage of their new cybersecurity classroom with certification coursework taught by Waterloo School’s gold star computer science and cybersecurity teacher, Kyle Kuhlers.
“Cybersecurity is exciting because every student can learn and be successful in Cybersecurity,” said Kuhlers. “Students don’t have to go to college if they don’t want to, they can get certifications at the WCC starting with IT Fundamentals, testout Security Pro, and even the industry’s gold standard – CompTIA’s Security Plus certification.”
All three of these courses are offered at the WCC and beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, freshmen will be able to take Cybersecurity coursework too.
Kuhlers says that the learning environment at the WCC gives students the opportunity to create and set rules or user permissions, as well as obtain access to programs such as WireShark, nmap, Metasploit, Snort, and others. Additionally, students are earning valuable experience interacting with the vulnerabilities of databases, python programming, AWS cloud computing, and Linux, all in an ethical way which promotes cyber defense and protection.
“I believe every student can learn and be successful in a cybersecurity career,” said Kuhlers. “My goal is to demonstrate how these tools can be used for cyber defense and protection in a positive way taking the mystery and anonymity out of cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity student, Obed Kaibanzawoko said, “The most exciting thing about cybersecurity is that everyday there’s a new thing, a new attack or a new strategy. It’s a field that I am interested in and I love that there’s always innovation and new subjects everyday.”
Public awareness around cybersecurity has increased in recent years due to ongoing digital attacks on consumer-based companies such as Target, Capital One, and Adobe.
“The WCC is able to offer students a safe place to experience the tools that are used in the industry without having to worry about damage being done. This space has been created by the Waterloo Schools IT department this past summer, led by technology director Matt O’Brien,” said Kuhlers.
According to O’Brien, the IT team was able to segment a separate network for the cybersecurity classroom to create an environment where students have access to control and monitor their own network. Having this separated from the rest of the district, allows them to learn and experiment without jeopardizing the rest of the district’s existing network.
“In addition to mobile workstations and hardwired laptops, the room also has several large displays to monitor information about the network and global threat landscape,” said O’Brien. “This is meant to mimic an SOC, or security operations center, much like the ones at large organizations and service providers.”
Kuhlers also encourages students to participate in WCC’s monthly Cyber Club. With annual hands-on competitions, students are able to work with real-life scenarios alongside Iowa State students and cyber professionals. These scenarios challenge students to build a virtual network and then protect it from their volunteer hackers, showcasing a recurring need to maintain systems while simultaneously protecting them from outside threats.
“These competitions are great because students are in the middle of an attack and have to react. Shutting down the system is not an option, it has to remain usable while dealing with the attack,” said Kuhlers.
According to Kuhlers, cybersecurity is an important career path for students, especially when computer access enables them to interact and experiment with many computer science tools already on a daily basis. Specialists such as software engineers are also expected to have a foundational understanding of cybersecurity and how to draft secure code for their companies.
Cybersecurity student Salma Sahir-Orozco says having the classroom for students is invaluable.
“It allows me to try out what I learn in a classroom where I can’t truly screw anything up,” said Sahir-Orozco. “When I first heard about it in AFJROTC, I was apprehensive because I was sure I wouldn’t be able to learn how to do anything but once I explored the field a bit more I knew this was something I wanted to learn more about.”
The WCC currently offers computer science classes in coding, virtual reality, and cybersecurity.
About Waterloo Schools
The Waterloo Schools community commits to a comprehensive system of education and support to assure that each and every student will graduate prepared for college, career, and citizenship as evidenced by continuing education, pursuing a career path, and contributing to a community.
