Education: Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline (recent graduate or graduating within the current academic cycle).
Foundational Knowledge: Basic understanding of cybersecurity fundamentals, network concepts (TCP/IP, ports, protocols), and standard operating system concepts.
Hands-On Exposure: Academic, internship, or project-based experience navigating and administering Linux and/or Windows operating systems.
Certifications: Current DoD 8570 / 8140 IAT Level II baseline certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE , CySA+, or CCNA Security) or active progress toward one.
Tool Familiarity: Classroom, lab, or internship experience with vulnerability scanners (ACAS/Nessus), SCAP tools, or SIEM platforms (e.g., Splunk).
Framework Awareness: Exposure to NIST SP 800-53 security controls, Risk Management Framework (RMF), or DISA STIG benchmarks.
Virtualization & Scripting: Basic familiarity with shell scripting (Bash, PowerShell, or Python) and virtualization platforms (KVM, VMware, or VirtualBox).
Hands-on Projects: Participation in collegiate cyber defense competitions (e.g., CCDC, CTFs), student engineering clubs, or personal homelab environments.