This blog was co-authored by Jennifer Mulhern, Vice President of AP Program Access, College Board

Cybersecurity professionals have become essential to protecting our society’s critical infrastructure. Yet globally, 4.8 million cybersecurity-related vacancies remain unfilled, and organizations across industries are feeling the impact. As the demand for talent continues to grow, the pipeline isn’t keeping pace.

As AI introduces more sophisticated cyber threats, many students are eager to explore careers in the field. Too often, they lack access to learning experiences that help them build real-world skills. Instead, they’re asked to choose between coursework that prepares them for college and learning that prepares them for careers.

We have the opportunity to bridge that gap.

Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, College Board will launch AP Cybersecurity as part of a new set of Advanced Placement® (AP®) Career Kickstart courses. Cisco is proud to support this effort through Cisco Networking Academy, which will serve as a resource to bring industry-aligned curriculum, hands-on labs, and educator support to classrooms nationwide.

Connecting college readiness with career relevance

The AP Cybersecurity course is designed to bring greater real-world relevance to foundational academic learning, ensuring students are prepared both for related college coursework and the demands of today’s workforce.

Students can earn college credit based on their AP Exam score and enter higher education with a strong foundation in cybersecurity principles. This allows them to build on that knowledge more quickly and intentionally as they progress through their academic and career journey.

For those who choose Cisco Networking Academy as their instructional resource, the AP Cybersecurity course will also provide preparation for the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity certification. This industry-recognized credential signals job-ready skills in a competitive hiring market.

This dual approach reflects a broader shift in career-relevant education: students increasingly expect their academic experiences to have direct real-world applications, while employers are prioritizing candidates who can contribute from day one.

Expanding access by supporting educators

The successful implementation of cybersecurity education ultimately depends on the educators tasked with bringing it to life.

Across the country, schools are working to introduce new career pathways. Still, many face common barriers: limited resources, a lack of specialized equipment, and the challenge of keeping pace with a field that is evolving at breakneck speed. Many educators have not had the opportunity to receive formal training in cybersecurity.

Cisco Networking Academy helps address these challenges by providing a ready-to-teach curriculum, built-in hands-on labs, and professional development for educators, helping schools implement cybersecurity programs without the complexity typically associated with launching technical courses.

We’ve already seen the impact. During the 2025–2026 pilot, the AP Cybersecurity course reached 3,100 students across 183 schools in 30 states, with strong teacher adoption and high levels of student engagement. Nearly 500 educators have registered for AP Summer Institutes ahead of the upcoming national launch.

In this pilot video, participating teachers describe the power of the AP Cybersecurity to bring cybersecurity concepts to life through hands-on learning and real-world application.

Building a future-ready cybersecurity pipeline

The cybersecurity workforce shortage remains a pressing challenge. In a competitive job market – one where the definition of ‘entry level’ is changing every day – we cannot ask interested students to wait until college to begin preparing for their cybersecurity careers.

The launch of AP Cybersecurity is a practical step toward addressing both student interest and a significant talent shortage. Through this collaboration, Cisco and the College Board are working closely to ensure that students are gaining academic knowledge while also building clear, sustainable pathways into cybersecurity careers.

We remain focused on supporting educators and expanding access to high-quality, career-connected learning through Cisco Networking Academy. Strengthening this connection between classroom learning and real-world opportunity is a critical part of building a more resilient cybersecurity talent pipeline.