When people think about cybersecurity education, they often picture certifications, labs, and technical coursework. Those elements matter, but they tell only part of the story. The bigger question is what happens when students leave school and start their first job. Can they work with the technologies they'll encounter in the field? Can they solve problems in unfamiliar environments? Can they contribute without spending months translating theory into practice?

Those are the questions that shape the Fortinet Academic Partner Program, and they are central to how Graafschap College in the Netherlands approaches cybersecurity education. The college is part of the Dutch MBO (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs) system, a vocational education model built around learning by doing. Students split their time between classroom instruction and practical experience, applying what they're learning while they're still in school rather than waiting until after graduation.

We spoke with Bram Bruggers, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) instructor who was named a 2025 Fortinet Academic Educator of the Year. As we discussed certifications, hands-on labs, AI, and OT security, one theme kept resurfacing: cybersecurity makes more sense when students experience it in a real-world environment rather than as a subject confined to a classroom.

“Security Isn’t a Separate Subject for Us”

Bram was quick to point out that cybersecurity is not a standalone track for students. By the time they begin working toward the Fortinet Certified Fundamentals and Fortinet Certified Associate certifications, security is already part of how they think about networking.

That may sound obvious, but many programs still teach those subjects separately. Students learn to build networks first and only later learn to secure them. Graafschap College takes a different approach. Networking and security develop together, so students never have to relearn one discipline through the lens of the other.

The curriculum progresses from security awareness through networking, FortiGate administration, and more advanced technologies. Over time, security has become fully embedded in the program rather than treated as a separate topic. After five years of working with Fortinet materials, Bram describes security as an integral part of how students learn networking rather than an additional layer applied afterward.

When Student Projects Become Something More

The most interesting part of the conversation was what happens after students finish their projects. They work with a wide variety of Fortinet technologies, such as FortiGate, FortiSwitch, wireless networking, FortiAnalyzer, and FortiSIEM. The projects focus on realistic business scenarios instead of standalone technical tasks, providing students with experience in solving real-world problems that organizations encounter daily.

What makes the experience different is that the work doesn't always end when the assignment does. Local companies often review student projects. Sometimes the feedback is informal; in other cases, organizations evaluate the work as they would a potential business solution. Bram explained that there have been cases in which companies adopted solutions developed by students and deployed them in production environments.

That possibility changes how students approach their work. When there's a chance their work could be used outside the classroom, the assignment feels less academic and more consequential. Students begin to think differently about design decisions, documentation, and outcomes because the audience is no longer limited to an instructor.

Why Certifications Matter

One reason certifications resonate with students is that they don't feel disconnected from the rest of the curriculum. In some educational environments, certification preparation can feel like a separate activity layered on top of regular coursework. Bram described something different. Because the certification objectives align closely with the material students are already learning, the certifications become a natural extension of the work students do every day.

Students also understand what those credentials mean when they begin looking for internships and jobs. A certification is more than a line on a resume. It provides evidence that they can work with technologies and concepts that employers recognize. For students entering the workforce, that validation can help bridge the gap between academic achievement and employer confidence.

Employers Want People Who Can Connect the Dots

The conversations Bram has with employers reveal a similar pattern. Organizations are not looking for graduates who understand networking but know little about security, nor are they looking for security specialists who lack an understanding of how networks function. What they need are people who can connect the two.

That perspective is reflected throughout the program. Students learn how networks operate and how to secure them simultaneously, giving them a broader understanding of the environments they'll eventually support. Bram believes that foundation helps graduates become productive more quickly once they enter the workforce. It is also one reason the Fortinet curriculum is embedded in core coursework rather than treated as an optional supplement. The material reinforces what students are already learning and provides additional context for why it matters.

The Lab Is Where Everything Comes Together

The lab environment plays a major role in turning concepts into practical skills. Students work in a dedicated environment with 15 mobile configurations that include VM instances of FortiGate, FortiSwitch, FortiAuthenticator, FortiAnalyzer, and FortiSIEM, along with wireless access points. The goal is to give students opportunities to build, manage, monitor, and troubleshoot environments that mirror real deployments.

What makes that valuable is not simply exposure to the technology. It is the opportunity to make mistakes and work through them. Concepts such as segmentation, authentication, monitoring, and policy enforcement are relatively straightforward when presented on a slide. They become far more meaningful when students configure the systems themselves, discover that something isn't working as expected, and then figure out why.

The impact can extend beyond the classroom as well. Students who gain hands-on experience often discover opportunities to test their skills in competitive environments. As Skills Heroes competition winner Stan Nijkamp put it, “Access to Fortinet training and real equipment helped me win national competitions.”

Graafschap College is also exploring Fortinet’s Security Operations 7.4 Analyst course and labs for the Academic Partner Program. The course introduces students to security operations center (SOC) workflows, threat monitoring, incident response, and investigative techniques using Fortinet technologies. Rather than replacing the current lab environment, it expands it, giving students exposure to another facet of cybersecurity and a better understanding of how security teams operate in practice.

Looking Ahead

As the conversation turned to the future, Bram highlighted two areas that are becoming increasingly important in cybersecurity education: AI and operational technology (OT) security.

The first is AI. Students are already using AI tools for development projects and technical work, so the discussion is no longer about whether AI belongs in the curriculum. The challenge is helping students understand how to use these tools responsibly, evaluate AI-generated output critically, and recognize the security risks that can accompany AI-enabled systems.

The second area is OT security. As IT and OT environments continue to converge, the boundaries between traditional networking, cybersecurity, and industrial systems are becoming less distinct. Future practitioners will need to understand how these environments interact and how risks can move across them.

For educational institutions, that means preparing students not only for the technologies they will encounter today, but also for the increasingly interconnected environments they will manage tomorrow. Whether the challenge involves AI, OT, networking, or security operations, the underlying requirement remains the same: professionals need the ability to understand how systems work together, identify risk, and make informed decisions in complex environments.

Learning That Extends Beyond the Classroom

Graafschap College offers a clear example of what applied cybersecurity education looks like in practice. Students work with technologies they are likely to encounter in the workplace. Employers participate in the learning process. In some cases, student projects extend beyond the classroom and into production environments. For many students, their first exposure to real-world cybersecurity does not begin after graduation—it begins while they are still learning.

That approach reflects a broader belief: students learn cybersecurity most effectively when they can apply knowledge in realistic environments rather than study it in isolation. Hands-on labs, industry-recognized certifications, employer engagement, and practical project work all help bridge the gap between classroom instruction and workplace expectations.

The Fortinet Academic Partner Program supports that model by providing institutions with access to training resources, labs, guest lectures, Fast Track sessions, and opportunities for deeper collaboration. Together, these resources help educators create learning experiences that prepare students not only to understand cybersecurity concepts, but also to apply them with confidence in real-world environments.

Learn more about the Fortinet Academic Partner Program and how academic institutions are preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals or find an Authorized Academic Partner.