Throughout the years West Boca High had a Digital info tech as the main computer program, now we have the Cybersecurity Program as a part of the current Academy of Computer Science and students are loving it! I had the liberty of interviewing Mr. Kux, who is one of the two teachers leading this program, alongside Mr.Goodwin.  

   The first question most people have about cybersecurity is: What exactly is it?

  According to Mr. Kux, it is “the eternal game of whack-a-mole between the righteous forces of the blue team and the hacking denizens of the red team.” In other words, cybersecurity is the act of making things, mainly online, convenient enough to use, but secure enough to trust. 

  There will always be evil in the world, and with the digital world constantly growing, it becomes easier and easier to be an attacker. Knowledge in cybersecurity will help us limit what these attackers can do and teach us how to fight against what may have already been done. “We don’t want our driverless cars used in a hit and run without our knowledge.”- Mr. Kux

   What can students gain from this program?

  Mr. Kux explained to me that students will “acquire the ethical foundation necessary for interpreting the increasingly dangerous digital world. Students will acquire a rudimentary understanding of either JavaScript or Python. They will also graduate from our program with a strong grasp on the fundamentals of networking.” As a former student of Mr. Kux for the computer and network security class, I gained a lot of knowledge on technology, how the internet works, how everything is connected,  how networks work, and the types of ways one could damage and/or protect a network. 

   Are there any certifications that can be obtained in this class?

  There are more than five certifications that a student can gain from this program that will help them in the real world, and possibly help them gain favor with future employers. Although the certifications will definitely look very good on a resume, “they will not 100% get you the job, but they will get you the interview.” 

   What types of jobs and how much money can someone make in this field?

  “Helpdesk, Information Security Analyst, Security Analyst, CISO, full stack developer, and more”- Mr. Kux. Jobs in this field could possibly earn you up to 6 figures, and another plus, some jobs can be done at home, so you wouldn’t have to worry about going to an office. 

  As we can see, the Cybersecurity Program has a lot to offer students, and those interested in technology or the digital workings of the internet should seriously consider this program.