In Ohio, a district prepares students for careers in cybersecurity not just through coursework—but through hands-on mentorship from the booming industry itself.
Seven years ago, Lakota local schools, outside of Cincinnati, launched its Cyber Academy, a three-year pathway program that provides students with access to cybersecurity classes, certifications, and networking opportunities with industry professionals. The district does not receive state or federal funding for its program but has been able to expand through its robust industry partnerships.
Students in higher-level courses at the Cyber Academy connect with adults in the cybersecurity field to discuss what it’s like working in the industry, what certifications they might need, and how to present themselves during an internship or job interview.
“The more [a school] can get kids [interacting] with real industry things, real adults—that’s where the magic’s at,” said Andrew Wheatley, director of career exploration and strategic partnerships for the district. “Fifty percent of the learning in any good [cyber] program should come outside the program.”
Here are four ways other districts can form and maintain these critical industry partnerships.
1. Reach out to local companies and recruit professional mentors
The inception of Lakota’s Cyber Academy started with a conversation between the district’s superintendent and an industry professional. The superintendent was told that there is a need for trained young people in the industry, and from there, district leaders and industry professionals started developing the program together.
Seven years in, not much has changed on this front. Brennin Shepherd, a program manager for cyber readiness at GE Aerospace, an aviation manufacturer and service provider, has been a mentor in the Cyber Academy for six years. Every month during the school year, he’ll visit and chat with students. This is where the learning really takes place, he said.
“It’s intimidating for the students, but it’s also intimidating for the mentors in how much to share and how to come off,” Shepherd said.
Students and mentors can discuss anything related to career or college readiness, but sometimes they’ll talk about broader questions, like how algorithms have affected the industry, Shepherd added.
“Once that connection is made and you describe an event that interests [the student], they want to hear about it,” he said. “This is real-world, every-day [stuff], and it touches everybody.”
2. Partner with higher education, too
Schools can reach out to universities or colleges that have a computer science program—they might already have developed industry partnerships, said Jennifer Circello, a cybersecurity instructor in the district.
Chris Zirkle, an emeritus associate professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology at Ohio State University, said a lot of universities and colleges are thinking of ways to get younger students interested in fields like cybersecurity.
Ohio State recently launched its own cyber program, which is partnering with community colleges. Faculty also plan to reach out to high schools to start generating interest there.
3. Reflect on the skills students already have
If students in a career pathway become skilled in specific areas, they could lend their talents to companies right away.
For example, if a student knows coding and can build a website, a teacher can reach out on their behalf to a local company, suggested Circello. There could be opportunities for internships or other volunteer projects.
“It’s really interesting how many students come to me that have already learned more than I have,” she said. “There is an interest that kids at this age have on their own, [and] we’re just pushing them along.”
4. Tap into your school’s alumni network
Another set of mentors at Lakota are the alumni of its Cyber Academy. Graduates who have finished college with a cybersecurity degree and joined the local workforce often return to mentor the newer generations, creating a pipeline.
For example, Mathew Price, a cyber threat intelligence analyst at Fifth Third Bancorp, graduated from the cyber program in 2021 and after getting a job post-college, returned to Lakota local schools as a mentor. He wants to give back to the program that shaped him, he said.
“The main goal across the board is to provide additional context and perspective that [students] have not been exposed to,” said Price. “As industry professionals, we pick things up as we go, [and] we work with really smart people that have been doing [this work] longer than us. Sharing that experience with students is the main goal for us.”
